The committee is of the opinion the current Harvesters' Program is not responsive to its clientele and, as a result, changes will have to be made to ensure harvesters are paid in a timely fashion. This slowness in payment may have contributed to a decline in the industry.

The committee pointed out that more support is needed for this sector. In many communities, harvesting is one of the few viable industries and many people may prefer to work in the harvesting industry. The Minister agreed to revisit and augment the program, and that the department will also review the Fur Marketing Strategy and Fur Pricing Model. The committee looks forward to examining the results of this review.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes our report. Thank you.