Yellowknife (Feb 24/03) - The territorial government isn't sure when proposed changes to the Wildlife Act will reach the legislative assembly.

Doug Stewart, NWT director of wildlife and fisheries, said he didn't want to speculate on when two proposed pieces of legislation -- the new Wildlife Act and Species at Risk Act -- would become law. - NNSL file photo

The Renewable Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development department released a progress report late last month on changes to the wildlife act and the new Species at Risk Act. The government has been working on legislation for the last three years, but it could be some time before MLAs vote on it.

"We really can't speculate on any of this," said Doug Stewart, RWED's director of wildlife and fisheries.

"It could be months. I would think that with the public support and a lot of support from the political leaders in the North that it's not going to be four or five years. I would think that would be very unlikely."

Proposed changes to the Wildlife Act include reducing residency requirements for hunters from two years to one, lowering to 14 the minimum age to hunt big game with a firearm or bow, and allowing the export of gifts of up to 10 kilograms of game meat without permit.

The Species at Risk Act would offer greater protection for endangered and threatened species, such as Peary caribou, the Eskimo curlew and whooping crane.

Fines for causing harm to endangered species would be substantially increased.

The proposed act would levy fines up to $100,000 for individuals and $250,000 for corporations harming endangered animals, and $500,000 for trafficking in a species at risk.

Stewart says the current Wildlife Act -- nearly 30 years old -- only allows for fines in the $1,000 range for causing harm to endangered and threatened species.

"We want to make sure people are discouraged from any of these illegal activities," says Stewart.

There is at least some differences in opinion on what should or shouldn't be included in the two pieces of proposed legislation.

Most of the support for reducing the hunter residency requirement came from bigger centres, such as Yellowknife, Hay River, and Inuvik, where populations tend to be more transient and non-aboriginal than smaller communities.

"Most people (in the Tlicho region) thought the residency should be left at two years," said North Slave MLA Leon Lafferty.

Stewart said reducing the residency requirement would have little effect on wildlife management because there are only about 100 to 200 people that would become eligible to hunt every year.