The Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Monfwi apologized on Friday for suggesting the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) shuffle himself out of his position the previous day.

The comments arose out of a tense exchange between MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong and Minister of ENR Shane Thompson during a meeting of the Committee of the Whole on Feb. 24. Weyallon Armstrong was objecting to the size of the Mobile Core Bathurst Caribou Conservation Area, a mobile zone where the hunting of caribou is prohibited, which is designed to protect the Bathurst caribou herd.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen I first became the Minister of ENR, the first thing I said to the department [was] SA国际影视传媒業 do not want to be the minister responsible for no caribou in the Northwest Territories; I made that very clear,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� said Thompson.

He said the Bathurst caribou herd is facing a population crisis and is at SA国际影视传媒渞ecord lowSA国际影视传媒� numbers: 6,240 caribou according to an estimate from last June, down from 470,000 in 1986.

SA国际影视传媒淚f the mobile zone was reduced at this time, it would put the collaborative conservation efforts at risk,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

In response, Weyallon Armstrong said SA国际影视传媒淚f the minister doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to be known as the minister who get rid of all the Bathurst, or known for getting rid of certain species, then I think he should change or do a cabinet shuffle, because thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not the answer that we wanted to hear.SA国际影视传媒�

She want on to say that ENR officials SA国际影视传媒渨ere not telling people the truthSA国际影视传媒� about why the zone was the size it was.

At the opening of the next daySA国际影视传媒檚 Committee of the Whole Meeting, Government House Leader R.J. Simpson raised multiple points of order in response to the remarks. SA国际影视传媒淭he member for Monfwi used language in our Assembly which offends the rules of debate order and decorum when she said SA国际影视传媒榯hey are not telling the truth,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� he said.

He said that during the exchange, Weyallon Armstrong had criticized an unnamed ENR staffer who was not present to defend themselves.

He also said she had SA国际影视传媒渦nderminedSA国际影视传媒� the principles of consensus government by suggesting Thompson should shuffle himself out of his position.

He asked committee chair Ronald Bonnetrouge to direct Weyallon Armstrong to rescind her comments and apologize to the assembly.

Weyallon Armstrong defended her comments under which the first two points were raised. SA国际影视传媒淚 am a passionate advocate for my constituents, and I am here to speak on their behalf,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was expressing what my constituents have been saying to me.SA国际影视传媒�

She did, however, apologize for and rescind her comment about the minister being shuffled out of his position.

Both MLAs Kevin OSA国际影视传媒橰eilly and Katrina Nokleby defended Weyallon ArmstrongSA国际影视传媒檚 comments: SA国际影视传媒淲hile the member may have gotten passionate, it was done with true intent for her people,SA国际影视传媒� said Nokleby.

Bonnetrouge ruled that there was no point of order for the first two points, and accepted her apology for the third.