Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Mar 29/99) - An internal review into the actions of two wildlife officers that seized and killed an injured raven is now complete.

According to Joe Handley, the deputy minister of the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development (RWED), no form of punishment is expected, but the staff will have to undergo orientation and briefings on how to properly deal with such matters in the future.

"We did an internal review on it and as a result, we have advised our officers and our staff -- don't rush into these things," said Handley from his office in Yellowknife.

The incident, and the review into it, occurred nearly two months ago when Iqaluit resident Craig Clark found the raven near his home. Its wing was severely damaged and after consulting a veterinarian who believed the raven wouldn't fly again, Clark began the lengthy and confusing process of trying to secure the appropriate permits that would allow him to keep the bird.

He had a meeting scheduled with Iqaluit's Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association, but before he could attend that meeting, the wildlife officers obtained a search warrant, seized the bird from Clark's home and later killed it.

Clark spoke to Iqaluit MLA Ed Picco about the matter, who, in turn, notified Handley about the incident.

Because it is illegal to harbour wildlife without the appropriate permits, Clark was in violation of the Wildlife Act and the officers acted completely within the law by seizing the raven.

Where they erred however, was in killing the bird before the HTA -- who had jurisdiction over the matter -- had ruled on the issuing of the permits. A spokesperson for the HTA stated that it was unlikely that Clark would have been successful in his attempts to obtain a permit, but nonetheless, the wildlife officers acted before the HTA had made its decision.

"(We said in the future) listen to the HTA and don't assume what they're going to say. The same goes for the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board," said Handley.

When the Department of Sustainable Development replaces RWED in Nunavut on April 1, officials within the organization will brief wildlife officers and other staff on how to properly manage these types of issues in the future.

"As for punishment -- no, there's no grounds for that. What the guys did was within the law, but next time, it's better to take a breath and wait...we'll avoid the negative publicity," said Handley.