Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think the Department of Renewable Resources is the most important department, next to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
Mr. Chairman, one area of interest that has been brought to my attention, on two occasions from my community of Pelly Bay -- as I indicated to the honourable Minister in the House a few days ago -- is regarding the confiscation of polar bear meat, especially, and polar bear skins. It is my understanding that it was during the sitting of the House when I was here -- I was not back home -- that Renewable Resources came to Pelly Bay because the community had killed more female polar bears than they are permitted to, but there were still polar bear tags in the community. The hunters came to me. In fact, about two or three hunters came to me and told me that they understood when the polar bear skins were confiscated but their concern was when polar bear meat was confiscated from three of the local hunters. They thought perhaps the game officer from Taloyoak had overstepped his boundaries or authority.
The Minister indicated to me at that time, according to his understanding, that there was no policy with regard to taking meat from a hunter when the hunter supposedly killed a polar bear when the tags allotted for females were over and beyond that quota. Mr. Chairman, perhaps the Minister will be able to respond to me positively this time. He wasn't sure at the time that I asked him. He thought it was not departmental policy to take the meat away from a hunter or hunters.
Mr. Chairman, the honourable Minister will recall during the Nunavut Caucus meeting in Gjoa Haven, the honourable Minister and I had an opportunity to meet with the hunters' and trappers' president, the hamlet council of Gjoa Haven, as well as the rescue committee. At that meeting, it was brought to the attention of the honourable Minister that the community was in the process of coming up with an emergency response plan. I forgot to mention one very important member of the community who was also at the meeting, an RCMP officer was also in attendance.
I was told by Gjoa Haven to remind the Minister that a proposal will be forthcoming. I don't know when. I don't know if the honourable Minister has already received the proposal but I was told to remind the Minister of the initiative.
Mr. Chairman, one of the concerns that came to my attention on a number of occasions, especially from elders who are not as strong as they used to be, is with regard to quick kill traps. Those people who spoke to me about them thought they were too dangerous because they are not able to get used to operating those traps. I know, and you know, Mr. Chairman, that progress isn't progress without change. We understand that; sometimes for the worse, sometimes for the better.
I hope the honourable Minister will endeavour to instruct his staff in that area. I'm sure they have already gone to the communities, but perhaps they could try to teach the elders how to operate the quick kill traps. I'm sure the people who attended the workshops on how to operate the traps were mainly middle-aged. Perhaps, the next time around, the honourable Minister will instruct his staff to try to get the older population of the communities in the region to use the new traps safely.
Mr. Chairman, another point that came to my attention during my community visits to my area -- not only from one community but from all three communities; namely Taloyoak, formerly Spence Bay, Gjoa Haven and Pelly Bay -- is that before my time -- or perhaps I was here, but only had been for a short time -- there used to be a special program jointly funded by the federal and territorial governments which was a special Arctic program. The program allowed hunters and trappers who could otherwise not afford to buy outboard motors, snow machines, hunting equipment and so on, to purchase these with some assistance from the government. To many people of that area, it was very useful.
As we know, the value of fur has gone down dramatically since the day when the animal rights activists became active. Since then, Mr. Chairman, the cost of hunting equipment has gone up about 300 per cent. You and I know that in communities where there are very low job turnovers and virtually no jobs available, the only way of supplementing your income -- which, in most cases, is social assistance income -- is by hunting. Mr. Chairman, you and I also know that every time a person who is a recipient of social assistance looks for other means of earning a living, that is automatically assessed and deducted.
Those were the very important issues which came out of the visit to my area, and not only my area but other regions of this jurisdiction. Mr. Chairman, if the honourable Minister would like to respond to some of my comments, he is free to do so. Thank you.