Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister responsible for ENR and are a follow-up to my Member’s statement.
On December 18, 2008, senior representatives of ENR met with some barren-ground caribou outfitters. At that time they told the barren-ground outfitters that for the 2009 hunting season and the 2010 hunting season their tags would not be affected and that 750 tags would be available. As a result, the outfitters went ahead and started booking hunts and collected deposits and whatnot. Then, obviously, the numbers were cut back and there were no tags.
These individuals are in a real financial position having to return the money they have already spent as part of their normal business. I’m curious if the Minister would consider working with these individuals and possibly showing some common sense and respect in this area and work with these individuals to recoup or return some of the money that they’re losing so that they don’t go bankrupt.