Communities want more time to examine legislation

Many communities fear they may not have enough time to examine a proposed Wildlife Act, expected to be introduced into the legislative assembly next spring.

Raymond Ningeocheak, second vice-president of NTI, gave delegates an update on the process of creating a “made-in-Nunavut” act, and reported that communities have called for longer consultations and a second round of public meetings on changes to the act.

NTI has been part of a working group overseeing the consultation process, together with the Government of Nunavut and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.

The initial planning into creating a new act began in 1997. Concentrated work began last fall, with community hearings held from April to June.

A draft act is scheduled to be introduced in the House in March. It would then go before a standing committee for another series of public meetings.

Those meetings, expected to take place between March and September, would give members of the public their first opportunity to read the proposed act.

The Qikiqtani Wildlife Board passed a resolution last month asking that community visits last longer than two hours, preferably for two days at least.