Debates of March 4, 2005 (day 49)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are to the Honourable Brendan Bell, the Minister of RWED, just with respect to the new trapping initiatives that he mentioned earlier this week in a Minister's statement of support to the traditional economy. I am just not too familiar with how it is going to be rolled out. Is that new initiative beginning April 1st? Perhaps the Minister can detail that for me, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 540-15(3): Support For Trapping Activities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These programs that we set up some couple of years back, I believe two years now running, continue on. What we are seeing is an increased uptake and an increase in the level of trapping. I think that much of it has to do with the prices that these furs are fetching at auction. The market has been particularly good. The Asia Pacific market is opening up for our furs, along with the traditional interest we have seen from the European trading area. So this is all good news for our trappers. I think in addition, anecdotally, we have noticed that people who are working in mines and have two weeks on and two weeks off are able in their down time to pursue these traditional activities, and that’s certainly something we support. But our programs are ongoing and we do facilitate and help trappers get their furs to market and we also provide them with a grubstake amount the beginning of the season to get them back in action for the next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 540-15(3): Support For Trapping Activities

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m totally in support of initiatives put forward by RWED with respect to this, because on my last trip home to Fort Simpson there were lot of young trappers who were out there and they are doing it on their own. So is there a contact person in Fort Simpson or even in Fort Liard that this program will be rolled out with, or a contact person to talk to? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 540-15(3): Support For Trapping Activities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The renewable resource officers in each community are responsible for the administration of the program. They work with local trappers to ensure that they’re there to take in furs as trappers come off the traplines and then get the furs to market for those trappers, and also providing them with their advances and their bonus if the fur comes in at a level that warrants a bonus and we’re fairly certain that it will fetch a high price at market. So it’s the renewable resource officers. I’ll certainly provide contact information for the Member, but I know that at the beginning of each season one of the tasks and one of the roles for the RRO is to go out and meet with various community organizations and ensure that we advertise the program and talk about the program so that everybody knows about it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 540-15(3): Support For Trapping Activities

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps the Minister can detail for me if there is assistance in terms of purchasing trapping products or equipment such as snowmobiles and traps. Is that part of the new program that is going to be rolled out? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 540-15(3): Support For Trapping Activities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The grubstake program that’s available at the beginning of the season for trappers who harvested a certain number of pelts the previous year -- I can’t remember exactly what the number is, but I think it’s around 20 -- those who have met that threshold are eligible for the grubstake amount of money and I think it's in the neighbourhood of $5,000 to help them get their equipment up and ready for the season. So if they want to do repairs to their snow machine or purchase additional traps, that’s what that money can be used for. We have had a program in past years in order to comply with the agreement on humane trapping, that we signed with a number of countries. We had provided replacement traps for those who brought in traps that were no longer considered humane and I can certainly check and see if that is ongoing, but I think most of those traps are out of commission now. We’ve done that replacement. I’m sure we’ve spent over $1 million replacing traps across the Northwest Territories for people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 540-15(3): Support For Trapping Activities

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Does the support to the traditional economy have room for something like getting that certain age group between 50 and 65 out there assisting the young people learning how to trap? Was that program designed with that thought in mind, or is there a way we can do that, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 540-15(3): Support For Trapping Activities

I certainly think that that’s a great idea and it’s one that we have used in the past to take an on-the-land program where we’ve had elders work with youth in the community, usually through the schools and usually through support from the RWED office, to take young people out trapping and make sure that they understand and learn the skills so that there’s some transfer of that traditional knowledge down to the next generation. I think that that’s certainly the way forward for this program. I think the positive sign is that there seems to be more interest in trapping. It is becoming more lucrative. I think that bodes well for the future. We’ll continue to work with youth in communities to ensure that this kind of programming is available. I think it’s certainly a good idea. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.