Thank you, Madam Chair. On the first comment, I don't know what the Member finds embarrassing about it. The program within Nunavut has been very well received and it is perceived as the first major commitment this government has made in any substantial way in recent years towards supporting those people who make a livelihood from harvesting. There have been substantial contributions to the business sector and huge encouragement to oil, gas and mining by this government. Yet, for the number of people who are engaged in hunting and trapping across this territory, this government has not made what many perceive as a fair contribution to supporting that traditional economy, if you want to call it that.
I don't see anyone being embarrassed about it at all. In fact, the biggest embarrassment for the federal government was refusing to take credit for supporting something as substantial as that. Maybe there is some other ailment that is embarrassing, but I am not sure what it is. Perhaps it is our perceived lack of good financial planning in how to make that $18 million available in an annual allocated sum totalling up to $18 million. We have no way to give marching orders to communities to come in and access this money in a measured fashion.
The way the book value of the bison was done, I am not totally privy to. I understand, generally, that there is a market for bison down south. There are ranchers who raise bison for the purpose of selling the meat. Calves, cows and bulls all have different market value. The age of the bulls, cows and calves give variation to the market value of the beasts.
If the Member wants, whoever did the calculation can be asked to produce the method of calculation if the Member is interested. Thank you.