Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the information we have tells us clearly that the barren land caribou numbers are in significant decline. They're in decline, we think, for a number of reasons: the broader impact of climate change, global warming, resource development, roads everywhere that makes hunting easier, the hunting, predation, infestation by pests and all these factors have combined to lower the numbers. We know this because the government has taken the time to survey the Cape Bathurst, the Bluenose West, the Bluenose East and the Bathurst herds. They did it twice to double check the numbers, and the numbers came back telling us there is a decline, a significant decline to the point that every co-management board, as well as the government, across the North came to consensus in Inuvik. It said these numbers mean we have to do something; we have to take steps to protect the caribou. This is, first and foremost, a wildlife preservation conservation issue. This is not an issue where the debate should focus on what's happening with the outfitters or should they be able to take another set of horns. What we have to look at is a herd that has been roaming this land for thousands of years, lived off by the aboriginal people. The biggest herd of large mammals that are free-ranging in North America live up here.
We know that there are gaps. We know that the Beverly, Qamanirjuaq and the Ahiak have to be done. We know that the Porcupine has to be done. They know and they anticipate that their numbers are going to be down.
The folks from Quebec were as well at this conference in Inuvik. They are concerned that their herds are, as well, going to be showing the signs that we have already seen here.
The government committed to a number of very fundamental things in Inuvik. They committed to moving on protection of the calving grounds, removing of the satellite information, working with the co-management boards to look at how we can better monitor and regulate the harvest for all harvesters. Those are very serious steps that were only taken after months and months and months of consultation, and the success of the Inuvik summit was the fact that ENR and the government took the time to do the work...