Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion, Mr. Zoe.

Question.

Question has been called. To the motion? All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Zoe, report of the Standing Committee on Finance.

Thank you. Motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Are there any other comments from the Standing Committee on Finance? Mr. Zoe.

Thank you. Are there any general comments? Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think the Department of Renewable Resources needs to revitalize some of this, particularly in the trapping area.

I know in some of these smaller communities that, and particularly one of the communities in my riding, Whale Cove, there are a number of people that if it were not for the fact that they were involved in harvesting of renewable resources, I suspect could not get by.

I know that in respect to just the harvesting of caribou for home consumption, the majority of people in most small communities simply have to do that to get by. There is simply not enough money in the levels of welfare, or jobs for these people to pay for the basics.

I think there has to be a better way in which we utilize renewable resources, particularly at efficient barrenland caribou. I know that in my experience, when I travelled in Scandinavia and Finland and areas like that, and even when I was in Yakutsk in Russia, I do not think there is a single thing within the renewable resource, for example in caribou or reindeer, that is not utilized one way or another, whether it is the skin, the hooves, or whatever it be, and I am sure that we have not done enough of that.

It is not a field that I know well, but I know it is a field that is of real concern to a number of more traditional people in the riding of Whale Cove.

I suspect it is no different in Broughton Island, Pangnirtung, Clyde River, and some of the MacKenzie Valley communities. I would like to encourage the Minister, and his department to think a little more creatively, and get a little more aggressive in the utilization of renewable resources.

It does not take a lot to provide some sense of income to some of these traditional people that I have in my constituency. I do not think that some of the older guys like Joe Ulurksit, or Sam Arualuak or the people in Whale Cove, are really looking for a permanent job, but they still need some kind of income to pay for the necessities of life. I am not convinced that the department is doing everything that it could be doing in terms of getting in behind these small groups, and helping them out.

I do not think it takes a great deal of money, either. I do not think you need massive infrastructure to assist people in renewable resources. What people want is assistance with a few nets, some assistance in terms of marketing their fish, etc. I think that I would like to encourage the department to get some of its people working on more creative ways to do things.

I know right now there is some concern with respect to tanneries, and the environmental considerations associated with them, however at some point we have got to move forward, and try to determine the rules and regulations to operate some of these tanneries. They would provide, in my opinion, some form of financial contribution to the smaller communities, and to the people who are directly involved in the renewable resources.

I think the other thing that, and I do not want to be too flippant, but I have this bunny-in-the-can theory, where there is a tremendous amount of resources out there that we are not being creative enough with. It was interesting yesterday, when we had the muskox from the lady from Fort Smith.

She has obviously done a great deal of work in trying to find creative ways to make wild meat saleable in the market place. I think we need to do more of that, whether it is seal, ptarmigan or arctic hare, and I think it maybe sounds a little crazy, but I do not think it is crazy.

I think if we did some experiments with some of these resources, we may be able to provide in a small way, some kind of financial support to people who want to do that.

Another example would be, and it is not done, but in the north shore of Quebec, which is similar to the Arctic, except it has a few trees, they have bay carpel, and some of the kids go out, and they collect bay carpel, and they sell them to jam manufacturers, and again, I look at the berries that are across the territories, and I do not think we are utilizing them as well as we should.

So I think this department has got a very serious mandate for a small number of people, but it should be doing more than it is currently doing. I think it should be doing things perhaps in conjunction with Economic Development, or E.D.A. It should be doing things a little more creatively. They should be taking some risks, and we should be trying to get greater utilization out of the renewable resources. I would suggest to you, that we need to get back on the band wagon of the fur market. We need to get some of these people back on the trap lines that want to be there, and find ways and means in which to make sure that their resources have some value, so that people are not out there working for nothing. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Any other general comments? Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, further to what Mr. Todd has said, one of the concerns that has been expressed -- Red Pedersen brought up this whole question of muskox, the over population of muskox, I forget in which area, the Minister is aware of it. Has there been any developments in that area, with regard to how they might be able to address the issue? I want to know if there are limited feeding areas for these animals, or they are over populated, one or the other?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have a large population of muskox in Banks Island, and the group that is trying to develop a market for these animals, is mainly the Inuvialuit. They are trying to find markets in southern Canada, and they are trying to find markets in Japan or abroad, outside of Canada. To some degree they have been successful in finding markets. The harvest is still not as high as it should be. Thank you.

General comments. Mr. Gargan.

Yes, Mr. Chairman, thank you. What about the herd that is on Victoria Island, is there anything happening with that particular herd?

Thank you. I must remind Members, that these are general comments. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe, at this point, it is being harvested, but they are not looking for a market for Victoria Island muskox at this point.

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, thank you. One of the things that Mr. Todd addressed was with regard to the harvesting, and trying to assist the harvester with regard to supplementing their income, or their welfare. Mr. Chairman, one of the difficulties that I find is that in my own area, for example, we do turn out a lot of people who go to school here in Yellowknife. The school is doing quite good in turning out graduates. The kind of cultural programs that are delivered do not really prepare them for anything other than going back to the communities, it does not give them any choice. A lot of them have not got that choice to do anything, other than perhaps going back on

the land and doing it as a hobby, but the choice to do it as a living is not there. I am just wondering whether or not the department has any area with regard to that, because conservation education and resource development is one of the objectives. I really would like to see that these people are offered something, if they are not willing to go to college or university, or to vocational or technical schools, then they should be offered something to fill their life. Right now, I think that there is that gap. Hunting and trapping has always been a part of the aboriginal culture, but people, young people are not really thought to take on that task. Is the department doing anything in that area, maybe trying to create and interest for this young generation to have that opportunity to even look at it as a full time occupation.

Thank you. Mr. Minister. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Chairman, I move that we extend sitting hours until we complete this department.

Your motion is in order, not debateable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried