HAY RIVER - The proposed new Wildlife Act for the NWT got a chilly reception at a public consultation in Hay River.

Wayne Keefe, a resident hunter and member of the NWT Wildlife Federation, led criticism of the proposed new Wildlife Act at a public consultation in Hay River. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"I don't feel the act is fair at all in any which way," said Wayne Keefe, a resident hunter and member of the NWT Wildlife Federation.

Keefe's opinion seemed to represent most of the 37 people – a large turnout by Hay River standards – at the Jan. 19 meeting, as his comments met with applause and a "Well said, Wayne!" by one man in the audience.

"This proposed Wildlife Act contains too many provisions for one group of people while denying and ignoring the rights of resident hunters," Keefe said.

Among other things, he objected to a provision which would require resident hunters to report the numbers of animals they harvest, while aboriginal hunters with General Hunting Licences would not be required to so.

Such a provision is discriminatory, and does nothing to accurately determine the harvest numbers, he said.

There are about 16,000 people with General Hunting Licences and about 1,000 resident hunters in the NWT.

"I don't feel this act should be passed because it's contrary, potentially, to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms," Keefe said, adding the charter allows special rights for one group, but another group can't be treated unfairly.

Susan Fleck, director of the wildlife division with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said any suggestion the proposed act is unfair is a serious allegation.

"We need to know which provisions are unfair under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms," she said.

Fleck said the proposed act was subject to a legal review by the Department of Justice before public consultations.

"The charter is one of the types of documents that they look at," she said.

The government's legal review is not public.

Fleck said aboriginal rights to hunt can only be infringed on in certain cases – humane harvesting, public safety and no-shooting zones.

She also said everyone needs tags to hunt certain species, such as polar bear, muskox and wood bison.

Keefe objected to some other licensing provisions, special harvesting areas for only aboriginal hunters and the overall proposed management of wildlife under the act.

"The management of the act is very convoluted," he said.

Keefe was also concerned because vertebrates and invertebrates are included in the act, even insects.

"That poses a problem when you start making generic statements about wildlife in the act that are associated with insects, all vertebrates and whatnot," he said. "Do we need a trapping licence to catch a mouse or what?"

Fleck said the act will specifically state which animals are covered by particular provisions.

"In the final review that we're doing right now, we're looking at every single provision to make sure we're addressing that provision at the correct animal," she said.

Fleck spent about an hour at the start of the consultation going over provisions in the proposed act.

Chris Robson, who is not a hunter, said the act is full of government doublethink and double standards.

"They do need to address the issue of accountability in hunting or there won't be anything left for you to hunt," he said.

Trophy hunting should be banned, Robson added. "That is not respect for game. That is money for game."

Metis elder Frederick Beaulieu expressed concern the act will not make any difference in conservation.

"I don't think this act is going to do any good," he said, adding the numbers of all animals seem to be declining.

Consultations were held in virtually every community in November, December and this month. The final one was in Fort Resolution on Jan. 20.

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