Yes, we can do that. I will discuss with the two other departments that are involved in this evaluation, those being ITI for BIP and then the appeal process through Public Works and Services. The three departments will get together and develop a presentation specific to this review and provide that to P and P. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So this in fact is three departments. ITI, Public Works and Health and Social Services will do a post-mortem on a process after the fact. What opportunity or vehicle or tool does the Minister have to correct this problem should it be determined from this evaluation of this process that this was in fact awarded to the wrong company? What will the Minister do about it?

That’s a hypothetical question, but I’ll give it if the Minister wants to respond.

Mr. Speaker, I would have to do the evaluation with the departments, like I indicated. Then there are tools that will allow us to make a decision that if we felt that the wrong decision was made at the end of the day, then we would have to consider doing something. I don’t know the process, I don’t know if that technically has been reversed in the past, but at this time the decision was based on an evaluation of the authority, ourselves, ITI and Public Works. So the decision was made based on that. If this re-evaluation going through another appeal process determines a different outcome, then we’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I mentioned the increased need for physical intervention to provide safety to both motorists and bison on our NWT highways. Admittedly the Department of ENR in conjunction with the Department of Transportation have done a

relatively good job under the Wood Bison Management Strategy, with harvest strategies, deterrence measures, communication and improved signage. However, it is very clear that it is not enough, given the unique circumstances and increased migration of bison onto our highway corridor. Can the Minister of ENR indicate what’s been taking place behind the scenes with his department that would address a more forward thinking of bison and motorist safety on our NWT roads?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The list that the Member outlined I think is fairly progressive and it’s reflected in the number of collisions that ENR has in their database. There’s been a steady decline since 2009. There’s 17 collisions in 2009, six in 2010, five in 2011, none so far in 2012. I think the work is paying off and the ultimate responsibility, of course, for the control and care of the vehicle is that of the driver and making sure they drive appropriately given the conditions on the road, be it the condition of the road itself and if there are animals in the vicinity. Not just bison, there could be moose as well. I would point out that there’s a far greater chance of suffering any kind of injury or fatality by hitting a moose than there is a bison.

It was impressive today to hear some statistics. Unfortunately, if one is looking under the website under the Drive Alive program and bison awareness, the most recent statistics posted are somewhat dated. In fact, the last entries indicate only 2007 numbers in which 18 wood bison were killed by vehicle collisions. Given this information here, can the Minister indicate as to when the proper information that we just heard in the House will be posted on the website for update?

The officials are listening as we speak and we’ll make sure that this information that I have before me is there for the public as well.

I guess the question today is not so much the probability of hitting a moose; the hot topic today is bison. I believe there is obviously a need for it. Anyone who is driving these roads, as I said earlier, it’s not a when, the imminence is there. There is no doubt. Given the need for a physical intervention, as I mentioned earlier, potential electronic tagging or reflective tagging to alert motorists of imminent bison danger, would this Minister and his department consider working with Regular Members, with industry leaders of reflective technology, the scientific community, and of course Aboriginal leaders to draft a business case that would allow real employment in the

region, real-time herd management, and of course motorist safety in the region.

The accidents involving bison are on a fairly significant decline, it would appear, because of the concerns that have been voiced over the years and the efforts that have been made to inform the public, to educate them, to do some of the signage issues, the increased hunting, the tags, which I think has been a great deterrent to bison hanging around the roads. The worst time of the year is October as things get dark and people still drive at speeds that they do in the summer and often get surprised. I also understand, as well, that bison don’t, unlike other animals, turn into the approaching lights but tend to keep sideways, minimizing whatever benefit would be there from reflective tags. The other big issue is, especially with bulls, during rutting season tags tend to get torn off and all that work is in vain, as it were, so that the cost is great and the benefit seems to be minimal for that particular type of approach.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d have to disagree with the Minister on this one here. Studies in Colorado and BC are actually telling quite the opposite story with reflective technology and I would encourage the Minister and his department to do some research in that area. I hope that at the end of the day we’re talking about public safety and it only requires one incident here, and we’re trying to prevent that one incident.

Again, my last and final question to the Minister is: How and when would the Minister consider such a strategy to be implemented within the life of the 17th Assembly?

I’ll ask the officials in ENR to take a look to see what other studies have said. Clearly the numbers don’t bear out the type of investment the Member would seem to want and the risk to public safety, I would once again submit, is greater if you’re driving the highways in the North, especially towards the southern part where there’s moose, of hitting a moose where there has clearly been fatalities that I’m aware of both in the North and in the South. Once again, the ultimate responsibility of the vehicle is under the control of the driver and the driver has every responsibility to exercise due care and caution.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. My statement today was about sport fishing. Sport fishing, of course, is a very leisurely activity that all Northerners undertake. If done right, more likely it could draw in tourists that more likely could spend dollars in the communities. It could also boost, ideally, business ensuring there’s a service delivered for tourists to travel up here for fishing. In Fort Providence this is kind of a classic example of where perhaps we need to balance efforts to create economic opportunities plus conservation, so my question is: Can the Department of ENR assist in helping the communities seek a long-term sport fishing management plan for the area of Fort Providence?

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member raising this concern and I would be happy to share with him the information that I do have on the work that’s been done over the last number of years on this issue that’s come up. The very specific question that he asked, I will have discussions with the officials of ENR and the deputy, keeping in mind that fisheries is a federal obligation and as of late they’ve been under some pressure due to deficit reductions and layoffs and such. We’ll see what is possible. I appreciate the Member’s concern and I’ll once again share the information that I do have about the work that has been done over the last number of years trying to deal with this issue.

I’d like to thank the Minister for responding and ensuring that there is an information flow to this side of the House. My immediate concern is this has been ongoing for some time, especially with the increased traffic as the potential for the bridge completion more likely we’ll have more people coming in by vehicles and also by boats. Just namely because of not just for the scenery but the fish that exist in that area. My question is: Is there anything immediate that the department could do to help the community monitor at least if the fish stocks in Fort Providence are at a sustainable level?

There have been discussions with DFO with the community. There have been quotas put on. Especially during this time of year when the fish are running. There have been the renewable resources officers on the water more often and if they’re taken away by other fire duties, for example, we’ve in the past as well had local fish monitors making sure to check the fishing that’s going on. We’ve been making sure

that all the folks that are fishing have the proper licences and making sure that the catches are within the established limits. Once again, I’ll look forward to having a more detailed discussion with the Member.

Would the Minister agree as one possible option in consultation with the local community that the Minister could in fact perhaps consider designating the Fort Providence area as a conservation zone in land use planning?

The Member is very well aware, I think, of the complexity of the Dehcho Land Use Plan and Protected Areas Strategy listing sites as conservation areas. There’s a process that’s been underway for many, many years now. If there was any wish to change that, it would be done through the table that currently is trying to resolve that issue.

I know as a government we’re committed to trying to get the Dehcho Land Use Plan agreed to and approved. It’s been a long time in the works. That issue would flow through that process and would require, I think, a significant amount of discussion if there’s going to be any significant change to what’s currently on the table.