Debates of August 22, 2007 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister of ITI in follow-up to his Member’s statement about traditionally-tanned moosehides and pilot projects, which I think is a good idea. Mr. Speaker, I estimate that annually around the community where I live, there are about 100 moosehides left in the bush over the course of moose hunting season. It’s always struck me as a terrible waste because there is no place to have these hides taken to; there was no incentive to take them out of the bush; they’re heavy, they take up space in your boat. I notice Enterprise is one of the communities that will be involved in this. I would just like to ask the Minister, if he can just indicate maybe a bit more detail in terms of what incentive is there going to be, is there going to be a connection into the communities where moose hunting is such a viable pastime? Can the Minister indicate will there be any connection with, say, the Metis nations and the bands to make sure that there is some agreement or some process where these hides can, in fact, be brought out and put to use? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-Tanned Moosehide Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve had a lot of discussion around this program and I think there’s a lot of interest in seeing this get off the ground. I understand, from some of the people who have some history in this government, that there have been attempts in the past to create and promote such a program. As the Member has indicated, we know that there are hides that are left to rot, and it seems a shame when we have so many people asking and inquiring about our crafts. I was just at the tourism operation at the border, spoke to the people there who are running the bureau there, and they were making the same case, that we just have this what seems an insatiable demand for traditional crafts and nowhere, really, to send people to find that. So we anecdotally know there’s a demand. We want to work with the hunters and trappers, with the Metis, with the bands to ensure that we are marrying up those who can tan these hides with those who would produce crafts and ensure that there is a supply of crafts in communities. So, yes, we will work with all stakeholders. It’s a pilot program but we’re going to work across the regions of the NWT that have an interest in this and try to see if we can’t revitalize crafts in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-Tanned Moosehide Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re fast approaching the time when the boats are going to be hitting the water and they’re going to be going up and down, in fact, hunting for moose. I know, in the past, one of the suggestions was that if, like with fur, that if ENR told the hunters going out that if you bring back the moosehides we’ll give you $100 or whatever it is to cover the costs of the extra effort and time, and then ENR could, in turn, make sure that the hides are sent to the most appropriate location for the best use. Will something of that nature be in place in the next number of weeks or months to take advantage of the hunting season that’s fast upon us?

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-Tanned Moosehide Program

Mr. Speaker, we will ensure it is. There’s a lot of interest, as the Member can imagine, I think, inside the department, which is where this program was generated; a lot of interest from those who work both in ENR and ITI in making this successful. They are eager to get this rolled out for this hunting season which is why we are unveiling this program at this point. So we will be working with our regional staff to roll out the details, make sure hunters know that the program is up and running and available, and hopefully we can generate a lot of interest. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-Tanned Moosehide Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s still not clear to me what type of incentive is envisioned to hunters to make them spend the extra time and effort to skin the moose, make sure they do it properly so they don’t damage the hide, and then pack the hide up along with the moose meat to drag it back out of the bush onto their boats. It’s heavy and it takes up a lot of space. So does the Minister have any idea, at this point, of some of the detail of what kind of incentive is going to be there in the next number of weeks to hunters to encourage them to bring those hides back? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-Tanned Moosehide Program

Mr. Speaker, our people are going to work with the hunters and with the HTAs to ensure that everybody is aware of the types of hides and the care that is required. We’re also going to sit down and negotiate a guaranteed price. I don’t have, at this point, what that guaranteed price will be, but the hunters will know, going out, the range of the price for the hide, know that it’s dependent on condition and understand that there is an incentive to make sure that it’s properly handled. So they will have this information before they go out, I’m sure. I don’t know what the guaranteed price will be. We’ve discussed, this morning in discussion at Cabinet, the typical range for a moose hide in terms of pricing, but I don’t have that information with me and I think it will be dependent on condition. I can assure the Member that our staff will work with those hunters before they go out and they will know the range of the guarantee in terms of price. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-Tanned Moosehide Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The final question is in regards to the chain of this production. So could the Minister indicate if there’s going to be arrangements made with the hunter, there’s going to be a middleman or if the hide is going to go to the producer who is going to tan it, and then from there it’s going to be sold at cost to the people doing the arts and crafts that require this? Is that how this is envisioned? So there’s going to be a number of steps along the way with the resource, some dollars changing hands, there’s going to be some value added to the point where it finally hits as a tanned product onto the cutting tables of the artists and artisans that use this? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-Tanned Moosehide Program

Mr. Speaker, that’s exactly how we envision the program working so that there is some incentive for the hunter who can make sure that these hides are properly tanned and that we have access to raw materials. I know Members in the House have been talking for some time about the raw materials required for craft production, the fact that we don’t have a consistent supply. That is the piece and the link in this chain that has been missing that we are trying to deal with here and I hope very much that this can be successful. I know there have been past attempts at doing this and for a number of reasons it’s been difficult. It is difficult work; it’s very heavy; many of the hides were left to rot. I think the problem has been the financial incentive and the training and those are the two issues that we are hoping to address here, make sure it’s worth people’s while to provide these hides for craft production. Thank you.