Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Government of the Northwest Territories, we know we have obligations in trying to have good legislation, mainly in the Wildlife Act. This is a very lengthy, complicated process that takes into consideration provisions in different land claims. You have the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, you have the Gwich'in Final Agreement, the Sahtu Dene-Metis Final Agreement, and now the Tlicho Agreement is going to be finalized in August. There is another component that needs to be considered, as well; that's all other residents in the Northwest Territories. We have considered different regions that are in the process of negotiations. As a government, we have to look at the whole picture and try to include everybody in the process. Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 1999, a process was started by this government to amend and put into legislation a new Wildlife Act and a Species at Risk Act. So it's been four years now we have been working on it, and I understand that the last Wildlife Act that came into existence took them seven years to do that. So this is the fourth year we have been working on it. We have been working very hard to try to push it through. The Member asked why. Well, RWED continues to work with representatives of all the different land claims organizations to try to integrate these very important wildlife harvesting and management provisions of their land claims agreements into draft wildlife legislation. There are some groups that are willing to move ahead, but we have to make sure that everybody is included in this. This is where the consultation is at at this point in time. What we trying to do in the life of this government is to table draft legislation in June. That's what we are aiming for. Although we don't have full legislation, this is what the schedule seems to be in the reality of the work that we are doing. That's what is allowing this to happen. Thank you.
Jim Antoine on Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
In the Legislative Assembly on February 14th, 2003. See this statement in context.
Return To Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Item 6: Oral Questions
February 13th, 2003
Page 67
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
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