Thank you, Madam Speaker. A European community regulation with regard to fur import has the potential to stop the import of any wild fur pelt or product into Europe after 1994. After my meetings with European politicians, bureaucrats and non-government organizations a few weeks ago, I came to the realization that Canada has probably not yet done enough to ensure maintaining the European market for wild fur.
Over 75 per cent of our wild fur is sold to Europe. If we lose this market, we will lose our wild fur industry since no alternative markets exist at this time. This will have a very serious consequence for our trappers, our economy and our northern society.
The Europeans I met knew little about the Northwest Territories and about how we live. I spent a great deal of time talking to people about our communities, our economic options and that we want to be able to make a living from the resources in our backyard. These are the same goals that Europeans have but they do not seem to see this. I also explained that we are as committed to humane trapping methods as they are, or as they think they are. I told them of our programs and our progress. But, the animal welfare groups and the animal activists are very influential, very well organized and they seem to be everywhere. These groups were surprised with the progress we have made toward humane trapping and are now campaigning on several fronts to make the regulations even more strict.
In 1988, long before the European regulation was agreed to, the Canadian Ministers of Wildlife agreed to adopt 12 recommendations made by the Fur Institute of Canada to make trapping more humane. Since then, the Department of Renewable Resources and trappers in the Northwest Territories have been working to learn new ways of trapping that are humane. This has not been an easy change and there are still some who are not convinced that it is necessary. I believe, however, and must emphasize, that it is necessary if we wish to sell our furs in the future.
During this session, I will be tabling a draft Northwest Territories fur strategy. This strategy will show the tremendous opportunities we have to increase our fur industry and provide more benefits to our harvesters and our people who work with furs. I want to make sure that this door remains open.
After I returned from Europe, I immediately wrote to the federal Ministers of Environment, Foreign Affairs, Indian and Northern Affairs and International Trade. I also met with the Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrews and have written to Mr. Jack Anawak. We have requested that the European fur import regulation become Canada's top trade issue since no other trade issue faces a total embargo. We have also requested that the Minister of Environment, the Honourable Sheila Copps, meet with European Environment Ministers, whose staff are involved in determining how the European fur import regulation will be interpreted.
We have also contacted our provincial counterparts, who are now equally concerned. Environment Canada and all wildlife agencies will be meeting in Ottawa on February 14 to discuss the next steps Canada must take and assess again what is left to do to meet the requirements of the European regulation.
I will keep this Legislative Assembly advised and I have also directed the Department of Renewable Resources to keep trappers and the public on the Northwest Territories advised as events unfold. Thank you.