Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to seek unanimous consent to proceed with Motion 9-13(3) today.

I call Committee of the Whole to order. There are a number of things on the order paper for today for consideration in Committee of the Whole. I would like to seek the wishes of the committee. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Does the committee agree.

We will take a 10-minute break.

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Department Of Renewable Resources

I'd like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. I'd like to ask the Minister if he is ready to proceed with his opening comments for Renewable Resources.

Minister's Introductory Remarks

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the people of the North want a healthy environment and healthy economy. The Department of Renewable Resources has a mandate to manage resources in the environment and this mandate will not change with consolidation. We are all aware that the air, the land and water are no longer as clean as they used to be. The department, along with other agencies, monitors the level of contaminants in our environment, the wildlife and is working to reduce local sources of pollutants. For example, we recently released, for public consultation, the draft guidelines to help reduce sulphur dioxide emissions through gold roaster operations. We are also encouraging the federal government to take action on arsenic emissions.

Waste management is another problem we'll all have to deal with. To help communities in managing wastes, the department is providing information on recycling solid waste and disposal of household hazardous waste. To assist industry, guidelines are being developed and identification of disposal options, storing, transportation and registering hazardous waste.

Madam Chair, we all work hard at keeping our homes clean and we must learn to do the same for our environment. If we are able to keep the air, land and water clean, our wildlife, forests and fish will remain healthy. This is necessary because renewable resources have an important part to play in the territorial economy. Harvesting, processing and managing renewable resources provides over 4,000 seasonal jobs every year. The activities include fishing, guiding, forest fire management, trapping, cutting timber, processing meat and resource management. These activities are concentrated in the smaller communities which have few employment opportunities.

The 1994 resource development strategy identified actions the department would take to increase fiscal and subsistence benefits from using and managing resources. These actions are producing results. For example, the fur industry is reviving. The two-year-old fur pricing program has increased the number of active trappers by 50 per cent and we have been able to meet the increased demand for humane traps. In the Eastern Arctic, the seal harvest has doubled. Efforts to develop and market new seal products are meeting with success, both in local and southern markets. Production methods include options for people to work in their homes which reduced the need for infrastructure. Timber harvesting has also increased. For the first time ever, fire-damaged timber was harvested in the Simpson region. The harvest of 14,000 cubic metres is a fraction of the one million cubic metres that remain. We estimate that the forest industry has the potential to support 800 jobs. To ensure the timber harvest is sustainable, we must also conduct inventories and plant trees. These activities generate further employment and much of this work is done under contract by community corporations.

The department runs training courses to ensure a trained workforce is available. Successful harvests of caribou and muskox are providing seasonal employment in Cambridge Bay and Coral Harbour. In Baffin, where the marine fisheries have provided substantial benefits over the last four years, I will continue my efforts to secure our share of the quotas for shrimp and groundfish and to promote sustainable harvesting of these resources. For thousands of years, hunting, fishing and trapping have been honourable occupations. I believe this can and should continue. These activities provide a healthy lifestyle, help us maintain our traditions, they require a high degree of skill and knowledge, and they provide substantial subsistence benefits.

Our people want to retain their link with the land and they also want to benefit from the resources around them. Our government has provided aboriginal organizations with the opportunity to develop their own harvesters' support funds, if certain conditions, such as matching funds, are met. The Nunavut harvesters' support program began last year and, as well, in the West, I would like to congratulate the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Fort Good Hope Hunters' and Trappers' Association, the Deline Hunters' and Trappers' Association, the Ernie MacDonald Land Corporation, the Wrigley K-ue First Nation and Deninu K'ue First Nation for taking on this challenge. In 1996-97, these organizations and our government are each contributing a total of $5.5 million.

The department is also working with communities and other departments on ways to get people out on the land and to teach the skills needed. For example, in Wha Ti, young people from correctional facilities will be able to go out and learn traditional skills. In Fort Good Hope, families will receive assistance to get oil and gas to go out to spring camps. These initiatives do not require a lot of money but will provide a lot of benefits.

Madam Chair, in developing the 1996-97 budget, our goal was to prevent any reduction in contributions or services to communities. I'm pleased to say that I believe we have achieved that. We are also working on ways to meet our government's objective to increase the authority of communities. With a prediction of another summer of low water levels and dry forest conditions, I'm making some further changes to increase community authority for taking action in fighting forest fires close to communities.

I have advised all community leaders in the Western Arctic that communities may assume authority for initial attack on any forest fires in the predefined high-value areas that are close to communities. Communities will be able to use any resources on hand within a predetermined spending limit. If the fires are not contained within 24 hours, departmental staff will assist the community in deciding what further action to take. In all other forested areas, the department will continue to provide forest fire management policies in accordance with the forest fire management policy.

With the increased interest in timber harvesting, the department is assisting communities to develop management plans for the resources around their communities. In this way, communities will be able to say exactly what and how their resources can best be used and conserved. Communities must be involved in making decisions on using and managing the resources around them if they are to contribute to the economic development and to maintaining a healthy environment.

Madam Chair, the proposed consolidation of the departments of Renewable Resources, Economic Development and Tourism, and Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources have raised some questions. I know how important a healthy environment is to all territorial residents. I am also aware of how significant renewable resources are to the smaller communities, to our aboriginal people and of the strong relationship they each have with one another. Over the next few months, I will make every effort to meet with community leaders to obtain their views on consolidation and I will listen carefully to what they have to say. My objective is to develop programs and services that allow communities to benefit from the resources around them, as well as maintain a healthy and productive use of these resources. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Would a Member of the Resource Management committee wish to comment on the departmental overview? Mr. Ootes.

Standing Committee On Resource Management Comments

Thank you, Madam Chair. It is my pleasure to present the comments of the Standing Committee on Resource Management and Development regarding this department. On Monday, we presented some general comments on the three departments of Economic Development and Tourism, Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and Renewable Resources. However, we also had some specific comments regarding the Department of Renewable Resources.

Forest Fire Management

During the initial review of this department's business plan, it was obvious that the forest fire management program suffered a historical deficiency in base funding. As an example, the department had budgeted $23.691 million for the 1994-95 fire season, but total costs came in at over $43.004 million. Based on this historical deficiency, the committee approved a $7.3 million increase to this program's base funding.

In making this recommendation, the committee noted that the Department of Renewable Resources must now consider this amount "capped." The committee explained that, only in the case of a genuine emergency, could this newly established ceiling be exceeded. Furthermore, the Members would expect the department to provide a full report on any such overexpenditure.

This new ceiling will force the department to make some hard decisions or cuts regarding which fires to fight and what response method is most appropriate. The committee expects the department to work closely with communities in determining these important factors.

On a related issue, the committee was interested in the department's proposal to enter into a lease arrangement with Buffalo Airways Limited for the use of three CANSO aircraft. Committee Members are disappointed, however, that information on this issue was not provided earlier and that the committee was not involved until after a final decision was made. Members are looking forward to the fall when the committee will have an opportunity to assess this aircraft's usefulness with the Minister.

Western NWT Harvesters' Assistance Program

The committee is supportive of this program but is concerned with the way in which it is funded. In the past, the department has funded the program through special warrants and supplementary appropriations.

Members warned the government that extra funds through supplementary appropriations do not exist, given the current financial situation, and recommended the department identify an annual amount for the program in the main estimates.

Committee Members are pleased to see a budgeted amount of $2.454 million for this program in the 1996-97 main estimates. Members feel that this proactive approach will allow both the department and the recipient to better plan for the expenditure while avoiding the use of special warrants. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Would the committee like to proceed with general comments?

I am sorry, the Minister may want to bring in his witnesses before we go ahead with general comments.

Mr. Kakfwi, for the record, would you please introduce your witness?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have on my left the acting deputy minister of Renewable Resources, Bob McLeod.

Thank you. General comments. Mr. Enuaraq.

General Comments

Mr. Minister.

Madam Chair, as far as I know, the intent and the interest is to continue with the research and studies that we do on polar bears and how we can sustain and manage that wildlife. We have gained some international recognition for our work in this area. We have done some work to jointly fund some of this work with the Nunavut Wildlife Board. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Enuaraq.