Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member did raise that issue with me earlier in the year about a constituent that had to actually use their full name and was rather lengthy. We did have an issue in fulfilling the need in getting all the names on that driver's licence. We have been looking at it. I think we made some special provisions for that one incident, Mr.

Speaker. However, we are looking at it and continue to address that and see how we fulfill that need. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it creates confusion when people have more than one given name and they go by a name that is not their first given name. It creates confusion for them in terms of their identification. At one point, I think it was suggested that this person would change their name. I think that the Department of Transportation should change their software for creating driver's licences. I would like to ask the Minister if consideration has been given to this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe when the department first ran across that issue, there were some insensitivities that had happened. Having a second look at that issue, the members of the public and the Member were absolutely correct, that that name could not be changed. So we did make some accommodations in that instance. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that very much. That was a solution on a one-off basis. I would like to ask the Minister if he would direct the people in his department responsible for the equipment and the software that generates driver's licences to look at this in such a way as to correct this as if it will be an ongoing problem. I think it could be an ongoing problem. My own children each have three given names and a very long last name. It is going to continue to be a problem. So I think it is a problem that we should nip now and not leave it until more people come forward with the same issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, having a legitimate passport or driver's licence is important to all our residents, especially with the new rules for border travel. We have been contacting our issuing agents and made them more aware of this particular issue. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to also ask some questions about the caribou issue to the Minister of ENR. Mr. Speaker, I think I understand the need for action on the part of the Minister and everyone involved to save the caribou, because I would hate to think of a time where we would not have enough caribou for the people that depend on it for sustenance. I think the government could not possibly spend enough money to supply food to the communities if they didn't have caribou to provide them with. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, I would think that, if we are at such a stage that cutting 600 tags from the industry this year or so, 600 plus or 300 plus next year, is a solution, that speaks to a real serious situation. I don't think we are there yet, and yet that sort of measure would result very possibly in the demise of an industry that is very important to us. I think the question is here. I understand the need for the government to act, but I am sure the Minister would even admit that if he could do it again, he would do it much differently or better. The Wekeezhii board was not consulted, I understand, or they were not ready to receive this recommendation from the Minister. I don't think the industry or other departments of government have done enough to support the industry to deal with the consequences of it. I would like to know if the Minister and also the department is aware of the fact that industries plan two or three years down the road on tag distribution. Would the Minister consider working on a time frame that would have gone for a year or two to reduce these tags if the Minister had to do it this way? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of caribou tag reduction has been discussed for several years now. There was an attempt last year to have the tags reduced. That couldn't take place. In 2005, it was the desire to bring the tags down to 924. However, the department couldn't follow that because the outfitters sold more than that by the time the decision was to be made. So that was bumped up to 1,163. Last year, the Minister sat up in this House in session during February and announced that we would be going back to 1999 tag allocations. However, there was going to be another survey done. Based on that survey, a decision on tag allocation will be made. We met with the outfitters again in the spring. We met with the outfitters again in the fall. We had a workshop and compiled all of the information and looked at the number that we could allocate. That was a small number by standards of what was being accrued for the outfitters. But we have to remember, when the tag allocation was increased in the year 2000, the allocation was for an interim basis. The outfitters were all in agreement and all acknowledged the fact that tags would be reduced if the caribou numbers went down. As soon as we got the numbers, we put it and packed it up in proposal form. We shared it with ITI. We brought it forward to Cabinet and then we brought it forward to Wekeezhii. Wekeezhii indicated they were not in a position to make a decision. That is a real problem, so they needed to go through a process where they have a public hearing and then look at the results and provide the information back to us. The outfitters will also be making

a presentation to the Wekeezhii board and I believe the Tlicho Government will also be making a presentation to the Wekeezhii board. That information will come forward and we have committed that we will, by June of this year, provide information on caribou quota for next year. However, in the interim, we had to make a decision on what the caribou numbers were going to be for this year because the outfitters needed to know what they were dealing with. We surveyed the caribou outfitters and looked at how many tags were already sold. At that time, there were already 700 and some sold and limited to 750 for this year, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must admit, I have learned more about the caribou management issue and the caribou outfitters industry over the last couple of months than I ever had before. My understanding is, actually, there is a disagreement on a lot of facts, obviously. There are, out of the 10 industry outfitters, there were some who voluntarily reduced their numbers because they noticed that the caribou weren't behaving the same way. They noticed all sorts of things, less numbers and such, and calving practices and such. But there are other outfitters who have been really growing a lot over the last two or three years. I am wondering why it is that...and especially in an industry that is highly regulated, because these businesses aren't selling widgets or making chairs and selling them. They are selling natural resources by tags given to them by the government. I want to know why some outfitters were allowed to expand and grow while others were conserving and trying to reduce numbers on their own. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the companies that provide these services for commercial caribou hunting operate in different set-ups and the attitude is different in all of the outfitters out there. There are a number of outfitters that have been working very closely with our numbers and have taken it to heart that there is a serious concern with caribou herds and have reduced their numbers accordingly. There are also outfitters that are still resenting the information that we provide as that they are not real numbers and they continue to sell as many tags as they can and wanting to go out there and continue the way they have done business historically. I can't tell the Member why that is. There are some outfitters that have taken different positions. I believe it is just a model and the way they do business. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are lots of points of disagreement. I obviously can't cover all of that, but narrowing it down to one and that has to do with even what to do with the 750 that is given to the industry for the coming year. There are some who say it should be divided equally by 10. Obviously, that would seriously affect those who operate much bigger operations. So this is just one of the things that need to be addressed. I understand the government has to take action for sure. It is only fair to ask that there be a better plan for everybody to adapt to any changes. Is there a possibility for the Minister to postpone the time of the effect for this policy for the next hunting season so at least we have the coming months to address this issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated earlier, we set the 750 tag allocation based on what information came forward to us that was sold by the January 8th date. We did meet with the outfitters and proposed to them that we allocate this either on proportionate to what was being allocated the year before, the numbers they used, or on an even amount, even breakout. We couldn't get any agreement from the outfitters. Some supported the proportion to what they used last year and some supported an even breakout. We had to take it back and make the decision. We decided on even allocation of 83 per outfitter and a pool that was similar to the year prior. Mr. Speaker, for 2008, the recommendation will be made by June. We will have that information well in advance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.