Thank you, Mr. Braden. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I make my Member's statement, I'd like to thank the Honourable Floyd Roland, Michael Miltenberger, MLA from Thebacha, and Commissioner Tony Whitford and Terry Testart for coming with me to the memorial service for Vince Steen yesterday. I appreciate that and I appreciate Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, last week and over a number of days we've been hearing about the caribou numbers, the decline of the caribou numbers. I truly believe and I think ENR is doing their best in regard to trying to keep the numbers in line in regard to subsistence on sports hunting. I appreciate, also, the Minister conducting a Caribou Summit meeting, which was held January 23rd to 26th in Inuvik. We had a lot of people from all over the Territories come to the summit there and I appreciate the input that they have. Especially it was good to hear the elders when they talk about how they survived years ago with regard to subsistence hunting and everything. It's proved that they did survive for subsistence that they needed.

Unfortunately, over the last few years, you know, I can't blame it really on sports hunting, but again that's another area that has to be looked at. As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Speaker, I think subsistence, or sports hunting, is a privilege. I think it's important that we do try to work with the sports hunters, but again, I think maintaining the numbers in caribou is important for all the people in the Northwest Territories.

I respect all the elders, and one of the important things we should remember is that there was a youth delegate at this conference who was very disappointed that there weren't that many youth involved and they would like to see their involvement also.

Mr. Speaker, I think for the Inuvialuit it's a situation where we have strived to make ourselves better. I also would like to say that under the co-management boards, they did talk about the numbers when they first come out and I think they're addressing the problem at this present time. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say a well respected elder once said, someone once asked me why don't you put your money, save your money and put your money in the bank? I should have told him at that time the land is my bank and that's what you should strive for, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Members' statement. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to talk about the energy plan and Greenhouse Gas Strategy today. We have a collection of initiatives from the government and they're all admirable in their own way. Increased funding to the Arctic Energy Alliance, which was a complete 180 from a few years ago, Mr. Speaker, ECE talked about climate change curriculum, DOT is also doing some testing and training, but what is the plan? What do these initiatives add up to and what is the intention of this government? Are we serious about cutting back on emissions? If so, what are our targets? How are we going to get there? Will we enforce our penalties with people and companies who don't reduce their emissions? What will the effect on the economy be as a result, Mr. Speaker?

We all know about the poll from the Globe and Mail that found support for tough action against global warming. Fifty-six percent even said that they would support rationing the amount of fossil fuels an individual uses each year. I've been asking for a plan since oil prices started to climb over two years ago, Mr. Speaker. The time for this government to be proactive is certainly running out. We know the Arctic will suffer from climate change. We know the infrastructure where we drive, where we live, where we work, are all going to suffer enormous damage as the permafrost continues to melt and, as we know, energy prices continue to climb higher and higher.

We need an action plan with targets and, yes, we need consequences, Mr. Speaker. We need to have a serious discussion about what life is going to look like in the Northwest Territories in the next few years and what legacy we are going to leave. If the importance of climate change is not recognized today and we do nothing, there will be grave circumstances. If we work to mitigate these effects and it turns out that climate change is only a trend, our biggest burden, Mr. Speaker, will be a cleaner and healthier environment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to speak on the caribou issue today. Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you that I don't believe that the Department of ENR have an agenda to attack or destroy the barren-ground caribou outfitters industry. In fact, I know that it has been an important partner and a supporter of this industry from the beginning. I don't believe that this is a Yellowknife versus outside issue, because we know that the caribou is an NWT issue.

When I had a constituency meeting last week, I had about three people show up and one of them, a non-aboriginal suburban, long-term Yellowknifer had a lot to say about how we could manage this issue. Mr. Speaker. While some of us may like to wait until every last caribou is counted, I think everyone who is familiar with what's going on in the land knows that there's something seriously desperate happening with the caribou. There's such a thing as a smell test. It's like climate change. A lot of people know when there's something going on and we need to act on it.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the fact that ENR's job is to protect the environment and natural resources, as the name says. This goes to the essence of why ITI and ENR were split, because it's ITI's job now to speak and support the industry, and to date I have seen no evidence that

they have done anywhere near enough in terms of foreseeing the impact of the cuts to the industry and in advocating and advancing some of the concerns that the industry has. Mr. Speaker, I understand the government's job is to protect, I mean, ENR's job is to protect wildlife and other natural resources, but there is a good way to do it and a poor way to do it and so far I see no concrete action from ITI.

Mr. Speaker, I do also appreciate the need for the ENR Minister to impose the reduced quota. But I believe the government, especially ITI, has the responsibility to do what it can to try and save the industry, even in a very reduced way. Many in this industry, Mr. Speaker, are wildlife conservationists and they want to protect the caribou very much, as well as preserving some of the industry. They are willing and able to work with the Minister to work toward that. Mr. Speaker, many of them, over the years, have voluntarily cut the tags they use and even implemented one-tag policy. Because ENR was unable to clamp down on operators that have been operating much more differently...

Ms. Lee, your time for Member's statement has expired.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Because, for whatever reason, ENR was unable to clamp down on operators that have been operating much more differently, now every operator is being painted with the same brush.

Mr. Speaker, as we move forward on this issue, I believe the government will need to look at all manners of harvesting because, in the long run, it has to do a comprehensive action plan that will save the caribou herd. But in doing so, I would like to ask the government and the Wekeezhii board and all the aboriginal leaders to be open minded and find a way to save the very small-scale mom-and-pop outfitter operators who are contributing greatly in creating valuable jobs, especially for aboriginal people, and showing the world the beauty of all that we have to offer in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Sandra Beaton in the gallery. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to be able to introduce my constituency assistant, a long-time Fort Smith resident, successful businesswoman, Denise Yuhas.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. I'd like to welcome everyone in the gallery today to observe the proceedings. It's always nice to have an audience in here. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's been very interesting listening to some of my colleagues speak about caribou and the importance of this great resource in our territory. No one can deny that we have to work with the co-management boards; we have to protect the calving grounds. We also have to take every step necessary to protect the caribou. Those aren't my issues.

My issue, Mr. Speaker, to be blunt, is how can we, as a government, make decisions that are going to put a nail in the coffin of a multi-million-dollar industry without knowing the numbers of all the herds that live in the Northwest Territories? That is the fundamental question, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister of ENR, when was ENR going to inform Regular Members of this House about the proposal that went to the Wekweezhii Renewable Resources Board? When was that going to happen? We found out by chance two weeks after we had a meeting with ENR about this. When was the Minister and the department going to let us know? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a process that we have to follow when we determine what the allocations for quotas are going to be. The Minister-of-the-day had indicated to this House very clearly that there was a concern regarding caribou numbers February of last year and was indicated at that time that we'd have to do some reductions. We communicated this information on a number of occasions throughout the year to the caribou outfitters, and we also conducted another survey because the numbers at that time were contested. We brought those numbers forward, analyzed them, and brought it to Cabinet. During that process, we also indicated to the Members of this House, during the committee process, that there was a concern. We didn't have an actual allocation and quota set up then, but we didn't have the opportunity to present it to Cabinet at that point. So we would have provided that information. I'm not sure if we would have gone out specifically to send it to each individual Member, but it was something that we had to do on a sense of urgency basis, so that's the process we followed, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say there is a big difference between letting us know there is trouble with the numbers and a 70 percent reduction that was in the proposal that went forward to the Wekeezhii. There is a big difference there. I want to state that. I want to ask the Minister of ENR if he can walk me, and this House, through the process that was followed in developing the number of 350 tags, a 70 percent reduction. What was the consultation and the process that took place with the sister department of ITI, the responsible department for industry? Where was the communication there? When were they made aware of the fact that that proposal was going forward to the Wekeezhii Renewable Resources Board? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we compiled all of the information as quickly as time would allow. Our surveys were done late in the fall and over the fall season. We compiled that information, had our chance to look at it and digest it, and our recommendation was based on the percentage of what the herd can sustain. We have, of course, always taken the position when we have that kind of a crash in numbers, that there is really no sustainable yield. As to the question about when we conveyed that to ITI, I think we did it in the month of November. They had a chance to look at it. Of course, there were concerns raised by ITI because it does affect a number of businesses in that field. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.