Deputy minister.

Mahsi. I guess we are getting some more information forthcoming. Any further questions on this section? Ms. Weyallon-Armstrong.

Thank you. I see that you said there's an increase in the contribution for the harvesters support program. Because I've been hearing from families, especially young families in the small communities who rely heavily on country foods. So what they're saying is that because of -- well, lately they've been seeing an increase in groceries and gas. It's making it difficult for them to -- it's difficult for them as it is, especially for those with low income -- from low income family. What they're saying is that now that with the caribou restriction in place, it is hard for us to go out because of the gas. The gas price has increased in the small communities. So there is lot of talks about that, harvesting country food.

So what I would like -- I just want to ask about that because this program, harvester support program, is really -- it really helps a lot of people. It helps a lot of families due to the increase in groceries and gas and all that. So I want to ask how do you guys allocate? How does this fund allocated to the regions or to the small communities?

Mahsi, Ms. Weyallon Armstrong. Minister.

For that type of detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Deputy minister.

Mahsi. Ms. Weyallon-Armstrong.

Thank you. So you said there's a formula in place. So the money that's there, it's one point something million -- 1.3 million here. So is it allocated based on needs or per capita?

Mahsi, Ms. Weyallon-Armstrong. Minister.

For that detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you.

Deputy minister.

Mahsi. Ms. Weyallon-Armstrong.

Yes, because right now at -- you know, usually at this time, people from my region they harvest caribou, and in the past they used to go to our regions in the regions, Tlicho regions, but now they have to go long distance. And it's just a lot of them are saying that it's hard. It's difficult if you don't have the means, if you don't have a vehicle, if you don't have any of those -- the stuff that -- it's really hard for them to access country food, especially caribou because -- which is a main diet for the people in the regions. And so that's why I was asking about that for it, because harvesters support program really helps family, especially if you have to travel from the outlying communities all the way to Mackay Lake in the -- you know, like, it's a -- and now with the increase in gas, a lot of people are complaining that it's -- you know, it's -- it's hard. It's difficult for them. And now with the mobile zone that it's -- the mobile zone is huge. It's difficult for people to go hunting. And some people, they go there, they come back, you know, they have -- they cannot -- like, they come back empty, like, with no caribou, nothing because it's too far. And then the RWED are making it more difficult for my people, especially for my people, that -- to go to harvest caribou. It's -- they go long ways.

Like, for example, for a family from Gameti, there's an ice road, winter road now. Winter road is open so people are going out. And for them to travel from their community to barren-land and it's hard; it's difficult. So I just wanted to know if any time soon they're going to change or the mobile zone not to be huge right now because it's -- they're unable to go hunting. They can go hunting but it's, like, they have to go further. So that's why I'm saying that. So I just want to know if there's any plan in place to change the mobile zone to accommodate the people that want to go harvest caribou. It's not just for my region, but every year there's people from other regions that go hunting as well, like from across the lake. And we see them go there, and then even from Deh Cho, people go there too. So -- and last year, a few times there was some people from Sahtu region as well. So that's why is there any plan in place that -- you know, like, just so that people can harvest caribou. Thank you.

Okay, mahsi, Ms. Weyallon-Armstrong. If we can be mindful of the time and the other speakers, keep our preamble short and to the point if you can. Minister.

Thank you. There is no looking at shrinking the mobile zone. The mobile zone is done with where the caribou are, where our collared caribou is. And it's also working with our Indigenous governments and the renewable resource board of -- Wek'eezhii Renewable Resource Board. So we work with Indigenous governments. We work with the councils, the leadership, and we explain it; we work with it. And it was developed in collaboration with our Indigenous government. It was with the Tlicho. They talked about it. If you look at the Bathurst right now, we're at about 6,200 caribou left. The Beverly is available. And in our conversations with our Indigenous governments, we've talked about working with them on setting up community hunts. We talked about doing that. We've also talked about working with the communities to identify where the Beverly is located so that we can work with them on this. But for further detail, I would like to ask the deputy minister to add anything I may have missed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Deputy minister.

Mahsi. Ms. Weyallon-Armstrong.

Yeah, well, that's good if they're -- I think -- this is -- I'm hearing it from people, you know. I'm not hearing it from the leaders. So it's good that maybe they -- but it's just that I'm hearing from other people as well. So that's why I am addressing their concerns because they rely heavily. And some of them said, I mean if it wasn't for the traditional food, you know, like, it would be more difficult for them with the increase in groceries and gas. It prohibits them, a lot of them, from doing further from doing more for themselves, you know, to be self-reliant. So that's why I am addressing the caribou, that mobile zone and that, you know, it would be nice to see this harvester support program working with the Indigenous government, and, you know -- working with Indigenous government based, you know, like allocate the funds based on what they say and, you know, like based on needs or per capita would be great. Thank you.

Mahsi, Ms. Weyallon-Armstrong. I think I gave you an extra one but, Minister, if you care to respond, mahsi.

Okay, I agree we need to work on this. That's why we went out and did -- asked the Indigenous governments and the users of the program what they needed, what they think we need to do, and how do we improve. We have been working -- as the deputy minister has said, we've heard some things and we've started working on those things as the funding -- we are waiting for the information on February 10th. This is from Indigenous users, our hunters, our Indigenous governments. It's not the Government of the Northwest Territories coming up with this solution. It is the people of the Northwest Territories and our hunters that are helping us develop this. And again, like we said, we will be bringing it forward, hopefully this summer, the information from what we learned and how we're moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.