This is a return to oral question asked by Mr. Steen on September 18, 1998 regarding an additional wildlife officer for Tuktoyaktuk.
The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has reviewed the possibility of placing an additional renewable resource officer in the community of Tuktoyaktuk. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, an additional position is not an option. Consideration was given to establishing a trainee position with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. However, trainee positions require that a full-time, indeterminate position be available upon completion.
Given this and the fact that other communities in the area do not have renewable resource officers, we cannot justify the establishment of an additional renewable resource officer position in Tuktoyaktuk. It may be possible, however, to allocate additional funds for increased patrols during the caribou harvest. This may be an area to consider during the budget review process.