Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have raised, in this Legislative Assembly, the concerns of trappers and the extreme poor fur harvest this year on many occasions. On February 17, 1993, I gave examples of trappers in my region who had already pulled their traps around Christmas time because of the poor trapping season. Mr. Speaker, I am worried about these families, how they will make it through the year, and whether they will have the financial resources to trap again next year. The trappers must be able to continue to support themselves in their traditional life-style.

The people in my constituency share my concern and have been discussing ways in which the trappers can continue to be self-sufficient. We must ensure that one bad year does not mean the end of a way of life. The trappers in my region and the Fort Simpson Dene council have come up with a strategy which will help to ensure that this will not be the end.

The Department of Renewable Resources administers a trapper subsidy program which provides funds for equipment and provisions for trappers at the beginning of each fur year. However, the amount of funding has been based on the past single year's harvest. To calculate the subsidy based on the 1992-93 harvest would simply not be fair and would deny trappers the right to continue their life-style. As the Fort Simpson Dene council and the trappers have requested, the subsidy should be calculated based on the best three of the past five years of trapping. Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Minister will also appreciate that the poor harvest will have a serious impact on the ability of trappers to pay back the loans that they have received from the band through the harvesters' assistance program.

There is simply no money coming in this year. The band wants to support the trappers and forgive these loans so the trappers can continue to trap, but needs the help of the government to do so. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has said in this House that he is prepared to be flexible to enable the communities to assist trappers. The community of Fort Simpson has identified a concrete workable plan that will allow trappers to survive this lean year. The only thing missing, right now, to put this plan into action is the commitment of the government. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.