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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Concerns over treaty rights and a possible two-tier hunting system were heard at a public forum on the territorial government's latest attempt to revamp its Wildlife Act.

Bob Bromley: Weledeh MLA says the proposed Wildlife Act is the most challenging piece of legislation he has had to work with in his short time as a politician. - NNSL file photo

The meeting, held at the legislative assembly building June 11 and chaired by Yellowknife Centre Robert Hawkins, heard testimony regarding proposed changes to the Wildlife Act ahead of the June 24 deadline for public submissions.

If passed into law, the new act, which would come into effect next year, would replace the current legislation that has been in place since 1988.

This is not the first time the GNWT has looked at revising the 25-year old act, having looked at doing so in the previous government in 2011.

"This is definitely the most challenging piece of legislation that I've dealt with in my brief political career," said Bob Bromley, MLA for Weledeh.

One of those complications is a perceived slight by the GNWT of aboriginal groups.

"I can assure you that it is our sacred right to harvest wildlife," said Bill Enge, president of the North Slave Metis Alliance. "For the government to leave out the North Slave Metis' rights, one knew there would be problems down the road."

Enge said the proposed legislation would have treaty lands considered the same as private land, meaning the North Slave Metis would need to seek government permission to hunt there. Enge said this is a constitutional violation, as the North Slave Metis have been given the right to hunt in their treaty with the GNWT.

The North Slave Metis Alliance took the GNWT to court last year after being excluded from the Bathurst caribou harvest. The GNWT split the allotted 300 harvesting tags that year between the Yellowknives Dene and Tlicho.

Enge specifically pointed to two aboriginal MLAs in attendance, Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya, and Michael Nadli, MLA for Deh Cho, for "knowing first hand the need to harvest wildlife to sustain themselves as a people."

However, no particular group – aboriginal or otherwise – should have exclusive rights to wildlife, said former mayor Gord Van Tighem, who was speaking on behalf of the NWT Wildlife Federation.

"Wildlife doesn't belong to any particular group. It is part of the public interest," said Van Tighem, adding that if safety training is required for some groups under the proposed new Wildlife Act, then it must be required for all.

Van Tighem also criticized parts of the act which would allow decisions regarding changes to the act, which are proposed to take place at annual meetings, can be made without public consultations.

"Much of this legislation is regulations, so public input is critical," said Van Tighem. "The public won't know what's going on if all of the meetings are being held behind closed doors."

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