Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, their plane was late so they will be here in a few minutes. Mr. Speaker, developing partnerships with community organizations is a key ingredient in the success of our wildlife management programs. Today, I am pleased to provide Members with an update on a successful management project in Fort Resolution involving the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development and the Deninu Ku'e First Nation.

For the past several years, community members have been working on a plan to repopulate the Hook Lake area with bison that are free from brucellosis and tuberculosis. There used to be several thousand bison in the Hook Lake area, but due to these diseases, the population is now only a few hundred animals. In the past three years, 62 healthy bison calves have been captured near Hook Lake and brought to a large corral near Fort Resolution. Here, they are tested, treated with antibiotics and vaccinated. The 22 calves that were captured this spring will be held for a year before they are released into a larger corral with 38 adults from previous captures.

Mr. Speaker, this year's capture marks the end of the first phase of this project. During the coming years, the 60 captive bison will be allowed to breed. In five years, there could be as many as 150 disease-free bison in corrals near Fort Resolution, enough to form the basis for a healthy herd which can be reintroduced into the Hook Lake area.

In the meantime, residents of the community will consider what to do with the remaining bison in the wild. Many are likely infected with brucellosis and tuberculosis, and until they are removed, the healthy animals captured during the past three years cannot be returned to their natural home.

Mr. Speaker, the Hook Lake Bison Recovery Project is another example of the government's leadership in effective, responsible wildlife management. It points to the success of working in partnership with community organizations such as the Aboriginal Wildlife Harvesters Committee, which is made up of the Deninu Ku'e First Nation and the Metis Nation Local. This project also demonstrates our commitment to providing a sustainable resource for future generations of northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause