Funding Increases for Traditional Harvesters

Resolution No. 2005-09-15

Funding Increases for Traditional Harvesters

WHEREAS many of our Mushkegowuk people continue to live off the land or to partly support themselves and their families through traditional activities such as trapping and hunting; and

WHEREAS the Canada-Ontario Resource Development Agreement (CORDA) assists Mushkegowuk trappers with funding that helps cover the costs of supplies and transportation (including maintenance of snowmobiles or ATV's, gasoline, radio equipment, etc.); and

WHEREAS CORDA limits funding for each applicant, such as the community of Fort Albany, to a total of $35,000; and

WHEREAS the costs of gasolir,e and other supplies have increased dramatically in northern remote areas (with gasoline now more that $2.00 litre), and the area covered by traplines extend a large distance from the communities (to a radius of more than 120 miles in the example of Fort Albany), which makes transportation costs quite large; and

WHEREAS the significant number of trappers in a community such as Fort Albany, when combined with the high costs and funding cap, means that CORDA is of very inadequate assistance to many trappers.

Resolution No. 2005-09-15, Page 2

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mushkegowuk Chiefs in Assembly support and urge an increase in the funding available to trappers in Mushkegowuk communities under CORDA, to provide realistic support to our members continuing to engage in our important traditional pursuits.

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