Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to raise an issue concerning the fishing industry on Great Slave Lake. As we know, Mr. Speaker, the fishing industry is an important industry, both from a traditional point of view and from an economic point of view.
We also know, Mr. Speaker, that this industry is heavily subsidized by this government. I think this government puts in approximately $390,000 to both the summer and winter fishery combined. The current methodology to support this industry through subsidies is both outdated and ineffective. I think that is recognized by both government and the fisherpeople themselves, Mr. Speaker.
In the past few years, the fishing industry has not been able to utilize all of the subsidy because of the cost of fishing and getting around the lake to catch the right quotas to access the subsidy.
On May 31st, Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to meet with the Fishermen's Federation in Hay River, with representatives from RWED, Lloyd Jones, Paul Wiedrick, and Mike MaGeean. The purpose of the meeting, Mr. Speaker, was to look at the subsidy program and try to come up with a program that would be more effective to the fisherman, and give them some incentive to improve on their industry and to improve their equipment.
The new program that was talked about, Mr. Speaker, is more of a support program that I think will give the fishermen more incentive to do just that, increase the number of fishermen on the lake and better their equipment that they are using.
Also, Mr. Speaker, the new program that was talked about is a program that would be administered by the Fishermen's Federation themselves, giving them more buy-in and making it more beneficial to the fishermen.
I hope that RWED will continue to work with the fishermen in working through the details of this new program, and I look forward to some more talks with the Fishermen's Federation on this.
As we speak, Mr. Speaker, the fisherpersons in Hay River are doing last minute touch ups to their boat and their equipment, to head out for the summer fishery. At this time, I would like to wish them all the best in the summer fishery. I would also like to encourage this government to continue to work with them to better this industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause