Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a little information here that I will read out for the Member's benefit. The issue is to provide one-time funding to enhance the outpost camp program and the community harvester's assistance program. The substantiation is government support to harvesters, and the harvesting economy has been based on recognition that harvesting is an essential social and economic activity in the NWT. By enabling people to continue harvesting, traditional values and practices are reinforced. The government has not yet completed its study on the hunter income support program. The additional $600,000 demonstrates this government's commitment to the economic and social importance of harvesting in the NWT.

The department proposes to allocate the funding among harvesters through the outpost camp program. The current guidelines for these programs are a bit restrictive. For example, the funds cannot be used at this time to buy snowmobiles or outboard motors or replacement parts. The department intends to revise the guidelines for this program to provide more flexibility to community organizations in determining what activities will be supported and what expenses will be eligible.

Field Operations, Total O And M, Agreed