SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A day after significant growth in the Bluenose East caribou herd and stability in the Cape Bathurst herd was announced, Great Slave MLA Glen Abernethy was getting calls from area outfitters.

"What's the process that they can use to go back to the review board, the Wek'eezhii, to see if there are any opportunities for these particular outfitters to get some tags so that we can start to rebuild this industry?" asked Abernethy on Nov. 4. "Which, for all intents and purposes, is now currently dead."

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Miltenberger couldn't give any answers, saying no decisions would be made before more discussions are held between the Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board, Tlicho and territorial governments.

To borrow or not to borrow?

Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington's private member's bill (C-530) to have the GNWT's borrowing limit raised, got tempers fuming in the legislative assembly Nov. 5.

Bill C-530 seeks to have the federal government loosen the territorial government's borrowing limit to 70 per cent of its total annual revenue. The government has nearly reached its $500 million borrowing limit and according to the 2010-11 budget, the changes would allow a $950 million debt.

Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay went after cabinet, question-ing whether it had encouraged the MP without discussing it with members first. Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger responded by criticizing Ramsay for speaking out publicly against the bill.

"I noticed the comment from the member for Kam Lake that said this government is not ready, we're not old enough, we're not mature enough, we're not wise enough to handle any more money," said Miltenberger. "Let's throw out an anchor and let's throw this whole process down, which is an unfortunate comment."

Ramsay responded that debt servicing on a $500 million limit was $35-$40 million annually, which comes off government programs and infrastructure investment.

Bidding on the brain

Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins doesn't like companies having the opportunity to bid on tenders they helped draft.

"That may be perfectly legal, but it certainly doesn't pass the smell test of what is perceived as fair," said Hawkins, who claims to have seen two such contracts.

Department of Public Works Minister Michael McLeod responded that its common practice by governments to seek advice from private industry on the requirements of a tender.

After this exchange, things deteriorated.

"You can't tell the right side of the brain don't talk to the left side of the brain when you go bid on a tender even though you tried to develop it," said Hawkins.

To which McLeod replied, "Maybe the member can't tell his right side of the brain to talk to the left side of the brain ..."

No answer was provided to Hawkins' question as to what safeguards were in place to prevent unfair advantage going to companies that helped government draft tenders.

Nov. 4 was the last day of the fifth sitting of the 16th legislative assembly. The assembly will reconvene on Feb 2.

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