N.W.T. wildlife act may face vote

The Northwest Territories' environment minister says he will push ahead witha new Wildlife Act and put it to a vote in the legislature, despite concerns from committee members.

The move by Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Miltenberger comes one day after a committee of MLAs reviewing the proposed legislation said it is not yet ready to become law.

MLAs began aseven-daysession on Wednesday the last sessionbefore aterritorial election is held this fall and with the clock ticking down, the committee said it would not introduce the new act in the legislature.

Still, Miltenberger had the option topush it throughduring this sittingwithout the committee's support.

The minister said the main sticking point was the conference management board and how to ensure that everyone has a say in the management of wildlife.

"We got sidetracked into this one very specific issue of the settled claims and unsettled claims and the structure of the conference," he told reporters. "But that bill itself, it's a good piece of work."

Committee chairman Dave Ramsay said the whole process has not been an easy task.

"It's frustrating we've been working closely with the minister trying to come up with a solution to this and a way forward and we're at an impasse. We can't seem to get on the same page," saidRamsay.

But Ramsay said many groups felt they were not consulted.

Non-aboriginal hunters and industry have expressed concerns about the act since a draft came out last winter.

And Ramsay said some aboriginal groups were also worried the proposed act does not respect the authority given to them through land claims to manage wildlife.

Miltenberger disputes the claim that there has not been enough consultation.

He said while there is some general agreement among MLAs, there will always be opposition to changing laws, especially when those laws affect so many people.

Miltenberger said the new Wildlife Act is the most progressive legislation of its kind in the country.

The review has gone through more than 50 drafts, with the most recent draft made public late last year. The latest draft, at some 70 pages long, has been updated following a series of meetings in N.W.T. communities.

But the Wildlife Act is not the only thing on the assembly's agenda. There are about a dozenproposed laws packed into thesession, including a heritage fund act that would set rules for a savings fund to be set up for the territorial government.

Also being proposed is distracted-driving legislation that would make it illegal for people to use cellphones while driving.