“I truly hope [the Bathurst caribou] can become healthy in population again because caribou are deeply important to all Indigenous people of the North. Some communities that used to see the Bathurst herd nearby their communities now have to travel long distance to hunt from other herds. The Tłı̨chǫ elders have always said that if we respect the caribou and speak positively about them they will return. And we need to start speaking about the caribou in a good way. For many years people have been saying they are declining, and that is what we continue to see. If we use the law of attraction to focus on positive thoughts and words, I believe this can help them become strong again.

But that can’t be the only thing we do. We must also show respect when hunting, take only what your family needs, and remember how our ancestors lived. In the past, people would travel long distance to hunt in the fall and the meat would only last a few weeks. Today, many hunt to last a whole year, and that has a negative impact on the herds. Even if we are not hunting the Bathurst herd right now, we need to change the way we think and talk about them to help bring the balance back. As harvesters, we need to change our behaviours today for the preservation of caribou tomorrow and future generations of Tłı̨chǫ people.

When they’re out on the land and are surrounded by caribou, it’s peaceful. You know, it’s quiet, it's a time to reflect, a time to not only monitor the caribou but work on yourself. This year I heard a quote from – well, I’m going to quote him – Bobby Nitsiza. He said when he’s out there he likes it because everything out there is created by God. And when we’re back in the communities, everything’s man-made. You know, it’s peaceful out there.”