Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Earlier today I spoke about the importance of the traditional economy. Mr. Speaker, my question is: how many people subscribe to the Genuine Mackenzie Fur Program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a program that we're quite proud of, and it seems to have been working for trappers across the NWT. I can tell the Member that close to 700 trappers a year for the last three years have participated in the Genuine Mackenzie Fur Program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's good to see that quite a large number of trappers apply to this program. Mr. Speaker, my second question is: how does ENR work with ITI to measure the value of the traditional harvesting economy in the Northwest Territories?
We have a protocol agreement between ENR and ITI to deliver the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program, including the utilization of a fur harvesters database. The fur harvesters database records and tracks the monetary value, the quality, and the number of individual species that have been sold at auctions.
It's good to see that the departments are working together to collect this data which is important for funding programs. Actually, that leads to my third question, Mr. Speaker: how does ENR work with the hunters' and trappers' associations to collect accurate data from harvesters?
ENR they work very closely with the harvesters within our regional and area offices during the trapping season. The harvesters, they bring in their raw animal pelts that they've harvested in order to be shipped and sold at auctions. All this information is collected by ENR and entered into the fur harvesters' database.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, my final question is: how does ENR work with hundreds of trappers' associations to ensure its program such as the Hunters and Trappers' Disaster Compensation Program are responsive to the needs of harvesters and the evolution of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our regional and area renewable resource officers are available to work with our local hunters' and trappers' associations to share information, deliver updates, and provide on-the-ground support related to harvesting including information on all the programs that are offered, including the disaster compensation. We are currently reviewing our Traditional Economy Program and looking at ways to be more responsive to meet the needs of local harvesters.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
