Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do. I am pleased to present the 2015-2016 Main Estimates for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Overall, the department’s estimates propose a decrease of $112,000, which is less than 1 percent over the 2014-2015 Main Estimates.

These estimates continue to support the objectives of limiting expenditure growth in order to sustain the long-term sustainability of the fiscal framework.

Highlights of the proposed estimates include: • $1.5 million for the continued implementation of

the Water Stewardship Strategy, including the implementation of transboundary water agreements with British Columbia and Alberta

and the negotiation of similar agreements with the Yukon and Saskatchewan;

• $2.3 million for traditional economy programs,

including the Community Harvesters Assistance, Disaster Compensation, Western Harvesters Assistance, Prime Fur Bonus and Take a Kid Trapping. These programs were transferred from ITI to ENR for increased program alignment.

• $954,000 forced growth for the fourth year of the

Collective Agreement;

• $249,000 for the creation of a new hydro

geologist position to review water licence agreements, undertake groundwater studies and assist in implementation of transboundary water agreements; and the transfer of four laboratory technician positions at the Taiga Environmental Laboratory from Aboriginal Engineering Limited to the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The proposed Department of Environment and Natural Resources Estimates continue to support the priorities of the 17th Assembly. Specifically,

activities in support of these priorities include: • protecting and regulating the use of onshore

territorial waters, mitigating and adapting to climate change impacts, improving environmental stewardship and maximizing benefits from industrial development;

•

working collaboratively with Aboriginal governments and communities to ensure the sustainable use of our resources through the development and implementation of national and territorial management plans and recovery strategies for species at risk such as boreal caribou, polar bear and Peary caribou; implementation of the new Wildlife Act and regulations; and continued support for wildlife co-management regimes and sustainable forest management;

• development and implementation of a

Northwest Territories-wide electronics recycling program;

• coordinate GNWT participation in the Arctic

Boreal Vulnerability Experiment, a major international scientific initiative to look at how climate change may affect our physical, biological and social environment through the large-scale application of space-based technology. This initiative will provide landscape-level predictions of how a changing climate will impact our water, forest and wildlife resources as well as our infrastructure and communities.

• provide support and assistance for Aboriginal

corporations in Fort Resolution and Fort

Providence to participate in the development of a wood biomass industry in the North;

• finalize a multi-partner range plan to manage

the cumulative effects of human disturbance on the range of the Bathurst barren ground caribou herd;

• work with Aboriginal governments and co-

management partners to implement a management plan for the Bluenose-East caribou herd; and

• continue to train community residents to test for

basic water quality parameters, dissolved hydrocarbons and metals at one or more of the 42 community-based water quality monitoring sites in the NWT.

In these and other ways, our department continues to pursue an aggressive agenda to ensure the sustainable use of our natural resource and protection of the environment.

That concludes my opening remarks.