Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I would like to revisit my Member's statement from last week regarding a flooding in the Taltson and Slave River areas. I am doing what I can to advocate for the harvesters in the area to help them recover lost revenue, equipment, and inability to practice their harvesting rights and livelihoods simply because of the environmental disturbances that are occurring in the area.
Mr. Speaker, today's theme was on the economy. Today, I will speak to the traditional economy and the economic force that was once the backbone of the NWT; that's the fur industry. I did mention last week that this is now largely a supplemental and cultural practice. To many of us, it might not seem too impactful, but it really affected me and my constituents.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to share a short story about my upbringing. My great-grandfather hunted and trapped all of his life in the area and worked right up until the day he passed on. I remember, as a small child, waiting for him at home in the window of our small little house in Deninu Kue, a little half house in the middle of a winter storm. I also recall him being ecstatic when he rolled up in a little small Elan skidoo, a very efficient machine that got through any sort of storm. I wish that machine would run like our government, but it is what it is.
From here, he would bring his catches of muskrats, beaver, martin, and lynx. I also remember how hard he worked, and I remember going with him to the base and bartering with the manager to get the best price on his furs and get as much money for his family. It was like this for many generations, but of course, times have changed. I want to let you know that trap season, for a lot of my constituents, is a wash. It's done. The cost of living is much higher in our smaller communities, and any income helps pay the bills and put food at tables.
I'm really concerned about this, and I want to drive this point home. How would we feel if we lost our next paycheque? I imagine, for a lot of us, it would be an inconvenience, and many of us would go on with our daily lives. For our people in the small communities, it's much more devastating.
Mr. Speaker, later today, I will table a document that shows some of the photos in greater detail of the damage that occurred. I also want to speak to the loss of equipment and damage to cabins. One image last week was a cabin sitting partially submerged in ice. Since that time, I was given more photos in the area. Mr. Speaker, I got to see some of the sentimental damage this causes, as well. Aside from camp gear, a lot of keepsakes were damaged, too. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted