N.W.T. environment minister withdraws wildlife bill

Controversial wildlife legislation has been withdrawn from the Northwest Territories legislature after last-ditch efforts to win necessary support for the billfailed.

Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Miltenberger withdrew the proposed new act from the house on Wednesday night, the eve of the legislature's last sitting day.

"The government will not be proceeding with Bill 9 at this point," Miltenberger said in the only mention of the legislation.

As recently as last week,Miltenberger seemed determined to press on with a vote on the bill, hoping it would finish the territory's review of wildlife management that began a decade ago.

The legislation went through more than 54 drafts, with the most recent draft made public late last year.

Opposition from different quarters

But some groups the mining sector, non-aboriginal hunters, aboriginal groups weren't satisfied.

Mining companies said the proposed act put too many limits on their operations. Non-aboriginal hunters said the act favoured aboriginal groups. Aboriginal groups had questions about the management strategy, and the Dehcho First Nations said the act would undermine its land claims negotiations.

Miltenberger offered no explanation for his withdrawal of the bill, but MLAs say he failed in his efforts to push through last-minute amendments behind the scenes . The necessary votes simply weren't there.

And with a territorial election looming in the fall, no one n the legislature wanted to alienate voters.

Despite the opposition, some kind of revised Wildlife Act has wide support. It will be up to the next government to decide if it wants to resurrect Miltenberger's bill or start fresh.

"Hopefully, the 17th legislative assembly will dust it off and start where we left off with the 16th," said Nunakput MLA Jackie Jacobsen. "On the go-forward basis on the Wildlife Act, there's a lot of good things in there. At the end of the day we couldn't compromise on a couple of amendments."