Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is no way to avoid the reductions that we have. It has been literally right across the board as the Members are aware. What we have been doing in recent years is trying to find ways to increase the support we give to hunters and trappers. The Nunavut Harvester Assistance Program, for every time this government has put $3 million dollars into it, the Nunavut land claims organizations have put a matching $3 million into it. When we are done, there is going to be in excess of $30 million dollars in a trust account that will be there for them forever. It is the interest from that which will be made available to the harvesters in the Nunavut territory.

The groups that are applying for this money in the west are operating on the same basis. It is not to be used for administration, but simply to flow directly to benefit the hunters and trappers within the community or region where the application is made from. This money is matched by these groups, put into an account and it is the interest from it that they are going to start using. That is generally what we have been doing. I agree the reductions should not be made, but as I said, every organization in the territory has been faced with reductions and the hunters and trappers are not exempt from that. Thank you.