Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for the Northwest Territories for his question, and for both his and the member for Yukon's important work on this issue.
As I said in the statement I released in early September, the Porcupine caribou herd is invaluable to the culture and sustenance of the Gwich'in and Inuvialuit peoples, and to biodiversity in this country. This government has long advocated for the permanent protection of the herd's habitat, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We have made strides to protect this herd through the establishment of important habitat areas, including two national parks, Ivvavik and Vuntut. We have and we will work together with our indigenous and territorial partners to protect this iconic species.