Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of Canada invested in the NWT traditional economy. On February 5, 2014, the office of the Minister of Environment, Minister of Canadian Northern Development Agency, CanNor, and the Minister of the Arctic Council announced funding for a project that will promote opportunities for employment and skill development training in both the traditional and industrial sector of the Sahtu regional economy.
This is a two-year project, which is being led by the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board in partnership with the local Renewable Resource Council and the GNWT through the Department of ITI. In 2012-13 the traditional economy of the Sahtu region experienced unprecedented growth, driven by the emergence of major overseas markets for Northwest Territories fur.
Last year 106 Sahtu trappers sold 3,944 pelts, which injected a record of $725,000 into the local economy, including sales representing 27 percent of the total for the Northwest Territories. This has considerable potential for expanding production in several areas of the traditional economy, including subsistence harvesting, trapping, outfitting, arts and crafts and traditional knowledge.
Today our traplines are busy in the Sahtu, but at the same time we have what we call another trapline: industry. Our trappers are faced with a balancing out. Do we continue to live on the land, produce these fine furs, or do we go to work in the industry? They both bring us food and bring us money. One is a way of life, the other is becoming a way of life. We’re in this balance here. The Sahtu renewable resource councils and the board are going to the Sahtu communities and talking to people. How do we balance the two lifestyles? Our traditional economy comes from our land. As Premier McLeod said, our land is our life.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
