Yellowknife (June 13/03) - A local wildlife group believes some territorial politicians are stalling the new Wildlife Act.

The NWT Wildlife Federation said some MLAs are avoiding replacing the current 20-year-old act because it is not directly related to their campaign in the November election.

"We want this legislation already in the works for the new government, and not indefinitely stalled by the formation of the new government and its mandate," said John Ondrack, secretary of the NWT Wildlife Federation.

"We want our current government officials to complete their terms, working for us and not for themselves."

Ondrack said he believes most of the new act has already been drafted, leaving the introduction to the house for a formal reading as the next step.

Bob McLeod, deputy minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, said the act is still in the consultation process.

"I think they (the Wildlife Federation) are missing out on a very important step," McLeod said.

McLeod said land claim issues must be discussed with First Nations and consultations with the justice system are still in the works.

McLeod plans to have the new act tabled before the election, but said it will have to be passed by the next government, which he doesn't think is a problem.

Bill Braden, MLA for the Great Slave region, is disappointed that the act will not go through during this term.

"The Wildlife Act was one of the big projects we identified when we were elected," he said.

Braden said this is the third legislative assembly that has worked on the act, but failed to make the final step and pass it into legislation.

"Wildlife is one of those very contentious and highly sensitive issues," he said.

"It's going to be difficult to dig this act out of the trenches."

A report entitled Drafting a New Wildlife Act was made public in January.

The report said the new act will include changes to hunting licence waiting periods, increased penalties for offences and other updates dealing with wildlife management.