Thank you, Madam Speaker. The fur pricing program that is being initiated by the Department of Renewable Resources has three main objectives, which are: to establish a guaranteed or minimum price schedule for selected prime wild furs harvested in the Northwest Territories; to increase participation in trapping, whether they are trappers who stopped trapping years ago or young people who would like to earn an income in trapping; and, to increase the proportion of quality prime wild fur in the Northwest Territories.

The incentive program that was run by the Government of the Northwest Territories, I believe, was an effective program. However, I don't think it encouraged new trappers or trappers who had trapped before to get back into trapping. The intent of the program is to try to bring more trappers in the trapping industry.

The way the program will work is there will be a slight increase of payment to harvesters who bring in pelts to Renewable Resources. There will be a first payment and then a second payment which will follow in the following year, in the following fall of the harvesting season. For example, for trappers who trap this winter will receive a first payment when they bring pelts into the department and they will also receive a second payment in the fall of next year, in 1995. Regardless of whether they bring the fur into Renewable Resources or into private vendors, they will receive the second payment, based on the number of furs they are able to sell. Thank you, Madam Speaker.