Earlier, I emphasized the importance of the caribou. I just want to point out that our world is very inclusive. There are humans, of course, but there's also everything around them, all the plants and animals. I think it's important to remember that. We like to emphasize that at every opportunity.
That said, the caribou is of special importance to us. That's true for the Innu, and it's also true for the Cree nations. I'm sure people in Yukon would say so as well. At the same time, we're well aware—as the leaders of these nations remind us—that things are precarious. Caribou herds are in a precarious position. By their actions, our nations have shown that they are also proactive. We understand the fragile balance between economic survival, in general, and vulnerable ecosystems.
Two years ago, in January and February, the Cree and Innu nations joined forces. They agreed to come together over their concerns and enter into an agreement. The agreement allows harvesting, because caribou is also extremely important in terms of subsistence hunting, and it also provides for conservation of the species. I believe this demonstrates that our nations are just as capable of making their own decisions about policies aimed at protecting the species, regardless of the role played by the other two levels of government.
That means it's extremely important to consider the close bond between the caribou and our nations. Nevertheless, there are somewhat more contemporary issues that challenge us as well. For example, one Innu nation community recently decided to refrain from hunting for a period of five years, I believe, so the caribou herds can achieve a much less concerning state than what we see today.