Mr. McLeod.
Debates of May 16th, 1996
Topics
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
McLeod
Thank you. The preference of the department has been to work with harvesters and people in communities to focus on bear safety. We have been very successful in a number of communities to have electric fences and so on for bear deterrents; and in some communities where bears would be disposed of because of nuisance, we don't have those problems anymore. Our approach has been to deal with bear safety programs. We have developed handbooks and information that's available to people in the communities.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Grants. Mr. Steen.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Vince Steen Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, in the past number of years, the hunters and trappers have been trying to deal with this problem; in particular, in Tuk. I think the department advised them that they would have to use the monies given to them in the form of a grant. This grant was not particularly meant for this purpose, and it's really cutting into the purpose of the grant in order to compensate those people who have wrecked cabins. I have no problem myself designating a grizzly bear a natural disaster. I have had problems with them myself. I think that what I am suggesting here is, would the department consider possibly approaching my community and seeing if they could help with this problem and possibly use even one of their experiments regarding electric fences. Whether those are available to the members of the hunters' and trappers' associations, I don't know this type of stuff. But maybe the department could make the community aware of how you get these experimental electric fences and that type of information.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
May 16th, 1996
Page 446
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Chairman, I was able to go to the community of Tuktoyaktuk to have meetings with the hunters and trappers of the community. We have a few interests here. We want to make sure grizzly bears aren't wiped out because they are destroying private property. We want to make sure the trappers don't suffer undue hardship as a result of the activities of grizzly bears. We want to come up with some solutions with the community on how to approach those two and balance them out together. Thank you.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Grants, Mr. Steen.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Grants, Mr. Erasmus.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the disaster compensation with forest fire management, would that include a forest fire that was caused by a human being?
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Chairman, I was just wondering if it might be the trapper's uncle or something. If there is a motive here or a suspect, then it would be seen as such. I am not sure how to respond to that. Usually, officers go out with the trappers when trappers suffer difficulties as a result of forest fires. It is on inspection with renewable resource officers that these things are reported, documented and brought to the deputy minister for action.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Erasmus.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am sorry. I didn't mean that to sound like a trick question. I was just wondering how technical you are going to be. If it is actually set by a human being, whether it is by accident or on purpose, then it isn't a natural disaster. A natural disaster would be an earthquake or a flood. That was the reason I was asking.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. An act of God and an act of a human being are two different things. Mr. Minister.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Chairman, I hope we aren't using the word "natural" as an adjective to define disaster. If I was, I shouldn't have been. If it is in there, it shouldn't be. I agree, if it is accidental, then there is really no reason to look for punitive measures. Thank you.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Details of grants and contributions, Mr. Picco.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Moving away from disasters and natural disasters, what type of checks and balances do we have in place to ensure that the grants, as stated, don't go to O and M or some other program when they are given to the different groups that are listed?
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Mr. Chairman, lots of goodwill and taking the good word of community leaders. We also think there is still a lot of value in signed agreements and a good handshake. We do actually sign agreements. They agree to certain conditions and that is what we adhere to. Thank you.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Grants. Mr. Picco.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
Edward Picco Iqaluit
You know the saying about the road paved with good intentions. In these fiscally-hard times, I think the onus is on this government to make sure we get the most bang for our buck. I would request that the Minister and the department put some type of check and balance in place to make sure that in actuality when we give grants, they are used with a stated purpose. I do know that, at certain times, money may be used as a stop-gap measure for things that they weren't made for. We need some type of check and balance. It seems loose to me to just be hoping.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 446
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. I believe that was just a point you wanted to make.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 447
Edward Picco Iqaluit
I am asking the Minister that maybe over the next few months some type of program can be put in place to ensure checks and balances in the grants and contributions.
Committee Report 3-13(3): Standing Committee On Resource Management And Development Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 447
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.