Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I apologize, I don't have the benefit of having seen the piece that the Member is referring to, but I can assure the Members that we wouldn't be encouraging people to use old, outdated, less humane trapping equipment. In fact, we have had a trap replacement program in place over the last several years and we are replacing and upgrading equipment and ensuring trappers have the most humane equipment available.

We are funding research at the Vegreville facility in Alberta, to ensure that there is continual development in this area. It is important for us not to run afoul of our international agreements, especially with the EU, a very important market for our furs, and we want to ensure that borders stay open. The only way for us to do that is to assure the EU that we are in fact complying with provisions of humane trapping and so this is of utmost importance to us, to ensure that we continue to do that and is a departmental priority. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.