Yes we are.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

On behalf of the Fur Institute of Canada and the chair, Mr. David Hutton, I'd like to thank you, the committee, for this opportunity to appear before you today on the topic of regulated hunting and trapping in Canada.

I'm joined today by our two presenters. Mr. Jim Gibb, who is sitting to my left, is an Ontario trapper, wildlife control specialist, and owner and operator of Triple J. Wildlife Services. Jim is a member of the institute's executive and chair of the institute's communications committee. Also, via video conference from St. John's, Newfoundland, we have Mr. Dion Dakins, CEO of Carino Processing Limited and also a member of the institute's executive and, as well, chair of the FIC sealing committee. Both gentlemen are well versed in the importance of fur trapping, wildlife conflict management, and sealing to Canada's culture economy and environment.

The Fur Institute of Canada has recently celebrated 30 years of partnership with Canada's jurisdictions in the delivery of trap research and testing, promotion of animal welfare, fur bearer trapping, and the fur trade.

Created by Canada's wildlife ministers in 1983, the institute has played a pivotal role since 1997 in retaining access to major Canadian markets for Canadian fur in Europe and Russia by supporting Canada's implementation of the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards, the AIHTS; and also as a forum for collaboration on and the promotion of sustainable use of wildlife resources and communications—and that's a strong collaboration with organizations such as NAFA, with the sealing community, and with the International Fur Federation.

The institute has played an active role with respect to animal welfare, wildlife management principles and practices, and the social value of wildlife. It remains a vital player in sustaining the licensed and regulated trapping of wild fur and sealing in Canada.

Mr. Jim Gibb will next speak to the committee with respect to the wild fur trapping side, and then we'll turn to Mr. Dion Dakins to speak to the sealing component.

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