(Translation) Thank you, fellow MLAs. This has been a question, especially from the community of Resolute. We are totally against the survey going on in the month of May, because of the conditions when these caribou calves are born. It is quite cold still in the month of May up in the Arctic Islands, and at night some of these calves get very weak. If there was to be a survey done with the airplanes and the helicopters, a lot of calves would go through a hard time with these disturbances.
The people doing the surveys would have to abide by the rules of our people in the communities about the Peary caribou, if we want to protect them and conserve them. If they are just going to be disturbing them, especially at the early stages of their young lives, it will not help with the conservation or increasing their population. I do not want the survey to be done in May. Either before May or after May would be an ideal time.
They have not exactly spoken about their opposition, but they have stated that the month of May is not an appropriate time to do these surveys. This is a big concern today, and we would like to work with these people who will be conducting the surveys and the conservation organizations of these Peary caribou. We would like to work with them and support them so we can reach a common goal. We have not totally opposed them, but I just want to let them know that the time they have stated for the survey is not appropriate. Mr. Speaker, that is the end of my statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause