Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr.

Speaker, I’d like to present a petition dealing with the matter of a comprehensive review of the Child and Family Services Act. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 77 signatures of the Mackenzie Delta constituents and, Mr. Speaker, the petition requests that the Legislative Assembly conduct a comprehensive review of the Child and Family Services Act in order to recommend changes to the act and its administration that will be more effective in supporting NWT families and more response to northern communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 12,

reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I

wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories State of the Environment Highlights Report 2009. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The

honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod

Mr. Speaker, I have two

documents to table. I wish to table the following document entitled Businesspeople Working for Other Businesspeople, NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation Corporate Plan, 2009-2010.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Grants and Contributions Program Results Report, 2008-2009. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. In

accordance with section 30 of the Northwest Territories Act, I wish to table the Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Contracting for Goods and Services in the Northwest Territories. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give

notice that on Thursday, June 4, 2009, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that the Student Financial Assistance scholarships awarded by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment be reinstated for the 2009-2010 fiscal year; and

further, that the value of the awards should be equal to half of the value of the scholarship amounts issued under each category in fiscal year 2008-2009, with further reductions to be introduced in each category in the 2010-2011 fiscal year; and furthermore, that a redesign of the program be undertaken with the primary intent of providing, on a continuing basis, recognition of academic excellence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The

honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give

notice that on Thursday, June 4, 2009, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that this Assembly directs the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures to undertake research in order to determine the consequences of allowing on-line petitions to be used in its parliamentary process; and further, that the research and analysis pay particular attention to concerns regarding security issues and identification challenges; and furthermore, that the research and analysis also look at the potential for increased participation in the democratic process and modernization of parliamentary processes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The

honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice on

Thursday, June 4, 2009, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that the Government of the Northwest Territories and the NWT Housing Corporation take immediate action to incorporate changes to their programs and public housing rental policies that would allow for an income exemption for public housing tenants for a period of six months from the start of a tenant’s employment; and further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Housing Corporation undertake immediate efforts to work with these public housing tenants to encourage and empower these tenants to pursue the longer-term benefits gained through homeownership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item

16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item

17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 7-16(3), Ministerial Benefits Policy; Committee Report 7-16(3), Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure Report on the Review of Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act; and Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act, with Mr. Abernethy in the chair.

Thank you. I would

like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have for consideration Tabled Document 7-16(3), Ministerial Benefits Policy; Committee Report 7-16(3), Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure Report on the Review of Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act; and Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman. The committee wishes to deal with Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act, and following that, Committee Report 7-16(3), EDI’s Report on the Review of Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mrs.

Groenewegen. Is committee agreed?

Agreed. With that,

we’ll take a short break. ---SHORT RECESS

Thank you. I’d like

to call Committee of the Whole back to order. We are going to be starting our review of Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act. Committee…I’ll start again. How about that? Committee, we agreed to consider Bill 6 and I’d like to ask the Minister of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger, to introduce the bill. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you,

Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to provide details on Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act. Protecting and conserving our wildlife species is a major priority for NWT residents. Protesting species at risk ensures these resources remain to meet our needs today and in the future. Bill 6 meets our obligations under the National Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk to provide effective protection of species at risk in the NWT in a manner appropriate to our unique circumstances. We began development of this legislation in 1999, with extensive public consultation. This first phase, from 1999 to 2003,

laid the groundwork of the establishment of the Species at Risk Working Group in 2005. The working group had members from the four land claim organizations, the four wildlife co-management boards and their legal counsel. The working group worked collaboratively with ENR staff in the drafting of the legislation to ensure land claim provisions were properly address. Establishing legislation that provides for a northern approach to protect and recover species at risk to update and enhance wildlife management legislation is critical to ensuring we have an environment that will sustain present and future generations. The NWT is home to wild species that are considered threatened to the rest of the country. Wood bison, for example, are listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act, but as we are all aware, wood bison populations in the NWT are relatively healthy. We need to manage this species at risk in a way that recognizes its difference and allows people to benefit from our healthy populations. This proposed legislation allows us to do this and provide the extra level of protection that the few species at risk in the Northwest Territories may require. It also recognizes our unique system of wildlife management. As Members are aware, management of wildlife resources is shared by three levels of government -- federal, territorial and aboriginal, depending on the species -- and by co-management boards established by land claim agreements. This proposed legislation respects aboriginal and treaty rights and integrates roles and responsibilities established under settled land claim and self-government agreements as well as the importance of traditional and local knowledge in managing species at risk. We believe Bill 6 provides a uniquely northern approach to managing species at risk and builds on existing and future land claim and self-government agreements and provides a real opportunity to involve NWT residents in wildlife management. The bill establishes a conference of management authorities which sets out a formal process of collaboration among all management authorities leading to consensus on decisions about species at risk. This northern approach will serve as a model for cooperative management in other wildlife management legislation, such as the Wildlife Act. We worked closely with land claim organizations and co-management boards to develop this legislation and have their support. We also spent a considerable amount of time consulting partners and stakeholders in this legislation. We believe that the time taken to develop the Species at Risk (NWT) Act has resulted in comprehensive legislation. It involves residents in cooperative

management and will provide effective protection for species at risk in the NWT. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure for the report and recommendations to improve Bill 6 and provide guidance for the current process to revise the Wildlife Act. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Miltenberger. I would like to ask the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure, which reviewed this bill, to make comments. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The

Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has already presented its report on its review of Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act. Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act, sets out the process to identify, protect and recover species at risk in the NWT. The proposed act will apply to any wild animal, plant or other species managed by the Government of the Northwest Territories. It will apply everywhere in the Northwest Territories on both public and private lands, including private lands owned under a land claim agreement. During the public hearings, the committee heard from many Northerners, including representatives from the Fort Providence management boards, the Metis Nation, the Chamber of Mines, Peterson Point Lake Lodge, the Salt River First Nation, the Tlicho Government, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, general members of the public and many other aboriginal governments and organizations. These presentations were thoughtful and reflected the desire of Northerners to be included in the processes and not left out of decision-making. You have already heard in the committee’s report about how the Members considered issues and about the various recommendations made. The committee was pleased to see that both the department and the Minister were open to changes. The committee was also pleased to learn about the collaborative process with aboriginal governments which was used to develop this piece of legislation. I was pleased to be a part of this important activity, the development of our own NWT species at risk legislation and to now consider it for approval during Committee of the Whole. I also want to thank all the members of the committee who travelled and worked hard for two weeks of public hearings, especially the alternate member, our chairman, the Member from Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy, to whom our committee owes a great deal of thanks. His willingness to travel so extensively with us and work so hard was admirable, and we are very grateful for his input. Also, thanks are in order to our committee staff, Ms. Cate Sills, who has gone on to greener pastures with the Minister of ENR. We wish Ms.

Sills all the best with her new endeavours. And also to our committee clerk, Ms. Jennifer Knowlan, who did travel with us as well. And finally, we know that the implementation of this law will be a challenge and look forward to continuing involvement of the standing committee in these activities. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Yes, Mr.

Chairman.