Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I think Mr. Dent has done a very good job of researching and presenting this bill, Bill 12. I commend him for his efforts. However, I do not believe the Member has the resources to really give us the comfort that although this bill seems to be worded so that it is geared towards hunters in the Yellowknife area, and probably would be geared for hunting caribou, we have to realize this bill goes across the board and affects all the different regions.

I have a lot of concern because I do not believe we have been able to take the moose population, for example, and go out there. There is no mechanism in his tool bag to tell us what that population is. We know in the regions that moose are harder to get, woodland caribou are harder to get. In the region I represent, the area of hunting is becoming smaller. The larger snowmobiles, easier access to snowmobiles and faster boats, all make our hunting areas smaller. Some of us have hunting areas that border other regions. In my case, in the communities that I represent, we border along the Dogrib Nation, the Akaitcho Territory and South Slave regions. So no matter which way you go to hunt, you are going to run into people from other communities, other areas. So we have to remember that this bill is aimed at the short-term or new residents, and not at the long-term resident hunters. There is an opportunity for people to hunt and it is just a small population. However, it will impact us in terms of activity and it will affect us across the board.

I had an opportunity to talk to several people in my riding and many people feel that six months is not long enough for people to move here from a different area, from different cultures and different histories and different traditions to come here, to live here amongst us and to gain a respect of our land, of our people, of our culture, of our traditions. So therefore, I have a lot of problem with this, especially to compound that with the fact the Wildlife Act is currently under review. A comprehensive review is underway and I feel that this attempt to introduce this bill at this time is an attempt to short-cut the system and I do not appreciate that.

We also have to remember that there are many land claim negotiations underway, many self-government negotiations still in process. This is an issue that is on the table for them. If that is the case, then there should be a mechanism for aboriginal people to have a vote, especially the ones who will be affected, that have processes in place. They should be allowed to have a say in the matter and the process that has been introduced by my colleague just does not allow them to be consulted and have a say, so I am going to be voting against it. I cannot support this bill. Thank you.