Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I, 100 percent, agree with the Minister that our wildlife populations have to be managed, but I believe managed includes harvesting. At this point in time, I am suggesting that an increase in the quotas of grizzly bears would be the total solution to the increasing population of grizzly bears. What some of the elders are saying is that as industrial activity happens more and more in the south parts of the territories, populations like grizzly bears, seem to be migrating north and are being forced north to keep away from human activity. This seems to some degree, to be part of the problem. What I am saying here, Mr. Chairman, is in comparison to the Peary caribou, the grizzly bear has a lot more features that would help to protect themselves. Nobody is suggesting here that we are talking an increase simply for food. People are talking an increase for protection, as well and it has to be taken into consideration that whether the grizzly is killed in self-defence or whether it is killed in a quota, he is still dead. I appreciate the Minister's concerns of public pressure from down south, to some degree, has to be taken into consideration, but on the other hand, the public down south are not the ones that really have to live with grizzly bears in their backyard. With that, Mr. Chairman, I would hope that the Minister would also have that special group, that is meeting, consider the increased populations of grizzly bears as well. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I should clarify, for the Members, that when I talk about management of wildlife, the most important part of managing wildlife is using the wildlife, is harvesting of the wildlife. If the wildlife becomes a problem, then it is because we have no use for it anymore. They no longer become beautiful wild animals like wolves or grizzly bears, they become public nuisances, varmints and pests, which is exactly how they are defined in Europe. In

Europe, a wolf is a pest, a fox is a pest. They are not called wild animals. They are only wild animals if they live in North America and that is what I am talking about, the hypocrisy of animal rights activists. I agree with the Member that grizzly bears, if they will become over abundant, will inevitably start killing each other off. The young will starve. The animals will starve and they also become a problem for property owners and communities, so, all the more reason to look at options like having an annual allowable harvest of these species that can benefit the communities, the hunters and put value on the species, so that we will continue to try to protect and manage them in the best way we can to ensure their future viability. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I hope I am on the right activity. I know that the Minister and his department are in the process of stationing a wildlife officer or replacing the wildlife officer in Tuktoyaktuk and filling the position. I wonder if the wildlife service could give some consideration to having two wildlife officers stationed in a community the size of Tuktoyaktuk? One possibility, Mr. Chairman, would be the second wildlife officer could be a trainee but part of the advantage is, in this day and age when everybody travels with skidoos or small boats, they always try to travel in the buddy system of two people. It is quite a strain, I believe, on the wildlife officer to ask him to go out patrolling on the land all by himself. I am sure at the present time, the wildlife service does not have that many wildlife officers in Inuvik who could come down and participate with the wildlife officer on his patrols. In particular, if these patrols come up as and when needed. My question is to the wildlife service Minister, would they consider my suggestions? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will look at the suggestion the Member is making and have the deputy minister work with the regional superintendent to see what we can do. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, this is a very important department for me, not only wildlife, but economic development as well. In consideration of the attendance here, I move to report progress.

Mr. Chairman, there are no active discussions going on right now with the federal government. We have indicated to them we would be interested in coming to some sort of agreement, at least in principle, to proceed with the Northern Accord in much the same way as they have done in the Yukon. We, of course, are asked again to check with all aboriginal groups to make sure that they are on side. The situation has not changed much from what it was four years ago. It has not changed much from where it was two years ago. It has not changed much from where it was a year ago. Thank you.

The positions vary from outright refusal to allow the Government of the Northwest Territories to assume any type of responsibility for oil, gas and minerals at this time, to outright support to proceed immediately with a devolution agreement under a Northern Accord. There are other positions, for instance, that say if certain regions do not want to proceed, then can we look at the regional type of an arrangement? There are a variety of suggestions out there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Due to the importance of this fall, the Premier had taken the lead in

working with the aboriginal groups starting two years ago. The department, through the deputy minister, worked in support of the Premier in working out possible arrangements and support of the aboriginal groups to proceed with this file. As I recollect, the last meeting that was held in discussions with the aboriginal groups, the Premier felt there was no basis on which to proceed at this time given the lack of support and diverse positions being taken by the aboriginal groups at that time. We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in discussions with the aboriginal groups over the last six years, a tremendous amount of money and time. There is no reason to believe the prospects are any better now than they were in previous years. At this time, we are not closing the book on it, but there is very little time, in fact, even if we should get total support today for anything to be done before the year 2000. Thank you.