Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I have questions for the Minister of ITI on the Community Harvesters Assistance Program. Trapping season nears and I have questions for that Minister. Can the Minister tell me what the total CHAP allocation for the NWT is?
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supporting the traditional economy in the Northwest Territories is a very important priority for our government. As a government we spend approximately $2.25 million to support harvesters. Specifically for Community Harvester Assistance programming we have $593,000.
Can the Minister tell me if there will be an increase in CHAP funding overall for this trapping season that we’re into right now?
CHAP funding is only one of many programs that we have in place to assist harvesters. A large part of the funding that harvesters receive is based on their activity and how successful they are in harvesting and trapping. With regard specifically to the CHAP program, the budget for 2010-2011 has been set and the budget has remained the same. I should also point out that through the Growing Forward Agreement that we have with the federal government, we’ve also negotiated provisions in there to assist harvesters as well. On an overall basis, the amount of funding available for support to the traditional economy has increased.
I understand that the department provides CHAP funding through local wildlife committees. Can the Minister tell me how the allocations are done from community to community?
We have 33 communities in the Northwest Territories. Some regions have land claims while others don’t. Some communities have committees that have been negotiated through the land claim and they have responsibility for wildlife harvesting. Other communities that don’t have those arrangements, we recognize those that apply and it’s based on the number of harvesters, the number of general hunting licence holders. They have to apply to our department and if we recognize them, then we fund them on that basis. For those communities that have no harvesting association or they can’t reach agreement on how the harvesters’ assistance money should be spent, then in some cases the department allocates the funding on behalf of the harvesters.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was interesting to me to go and talk to the trappers who were saying that they can’t afford to go trapping. That must be an issue. With the price of furs being unstable and low, will this government look at reviewing this program in the sense of looking at the subsidies for the program?
As a government we’re always reviewing our programs so that we can improve upon them and make them better. As I said, we have a number of different programs to assist harvesters. CHAP funding is one part of it. The other part of it is the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program where we guarantee prices for furs. For those active trappers that go out and trap and sell at least 20 pelts a year, we also provide a Grubstake Program so that they can get a grubstake before the next season starts. We review our guaranteed prices every year based on the auctions and results of the auctions. Before a trapper goes out he knows how much he’s going to get for a pelt that’s been well maintained and has been cured properly. Every opportunity is there for a trapper to maximize their returns.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
