Legislative Assembly briefs
Weledeh MLA calls for caribou hunting ban
Randi Beers
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 27, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley asked Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Miltenberger whether he's prepared to implement a ban on the caribou hunt this winter in light of a severe drop in the Bluenose-East and Bathurst herd numbers this year.
Miltenberger revealed numbers during the Oct. 22 session of the legislative assembly indicating that the decimation of herds has continued over the past year.
The results of this year's survey show the Bathurst herd has declined to approximately 15,000 animals, down from a high 20 years ago of 460,000. The Bluenose-East herd this year is estimated at 30,000 animals, down from 160,000 over the same time period.
Miltenberger says his department brought aboriginal leaders and government scientists together a few weeks ago in an emergency meeting and they plan to meet again this week and in early November to talk about options.
"Currently, there is a tag limit of 300 animals in the Bathurst. In the Bluenose-East, there's a voluntary limit of about 2,800 animals, which was singularly unsuccessful in terms of harvesting past that," said Miltenberger.
"So we're going to be looking at some very hard choices here in the next couple weeks."
Bromley pointed to newspaper advertisements for community hunts, saying "the only reason they're not shooting is because they can't find them."
"Is the minister prepared to ban the hunting of caribou," he asked.
Miltenberger reiterated that his department is following a consultation process and is in talks with regional aboriginal governments.
"I would point out (Bromley) is very, very big on process and consultation, endless consultation sometimes and now he wants me to just stand up and rule by fiat and dictate by decree," he said.
Miltenberger said his department will make a decision on this year's hunt in the next couple of weeks.
Bison running amok
Bison herds around Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte and Lindberg's Landing are on a reign of terror, intimidating residents and digging up gardens, and Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche wants the territorial government to do something about it.
"One resident was literally trapped in her car as a large, single male rested against her car door, damaging it and trapping her inside," said Menicoche during his member's statement, Oct. 22.
"She is elderly. Her family and friends fear she may be injured if it happens again."
Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger admitted his department is tardy in completing its bison management strategy and promised the MLA its completion before the assembly resumes in the new year.
Menicoche pushed for a harvest in the region, pointing to the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations in northern British Columbia, whose members have found success in mitigating their own bison woes in this manner.
"We're looking at the possibility of finding somebody with a tag that would be prepared to harvest one of the animals that are nuisance animals," answered Miltenberger.
"Failing that we would look at doing such an emergency cull on our own."
Menicoche rounded out his line of questioning by asking the minister whether the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) has a 1-800 number people in the region can call to complain about problem bison.
Miltenberger suggested Nahanni area residents go to their local ENR offices if they would like to make a complaint.
Inuvik-Tuk highway cash advance
The Department of Transportation is asking assembly to approve a cash advance for the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway project in order to meet the contractor's expected pace this winter.
According to Kevin McLeod, director of highways, the department anticipates the project's two contractors, E. Gruben's Transport Ltd and Northwind Industries Ltd, will make enough progress to invoice the government for between $90-110 million this winter, although there is only $70 million allocated to this year's coffers.
The adjustment would not change the overall budget for the Inuvik-to-Tuktoyaktuk highway, which stands at $299 million.
"We're not asking for new money, we are just asking that the cash flow is adjusted," explained McLeod.
"This number would advance the cash from next year and would reduce cash flow in later years ... it's a great situation."
According to McLeod, the two contractors invoice the government approximately once per month for the amount of earth moved to allow for highway construction. Once they got moving last year, they moved between 400,000 and 500,000 cubic metres per month.
McLeod anticipates the contractors will be able to keep the same pace when they start this year's construction on Nov. 3.
The Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway schedule includes three years of major embankment construction and a fourth year of resurfacing, tidying up and cleaning up side slopes of the highway.
