Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to a question asked by Mr. Arngna'naaq on December 13, 1991. On December 13, 1991, the Member for Kivallivik reported a difficulty the hamlet of Arviat had experienced in ordering replacement lighting for the non-directional air navigation beacon at the Arviat airport. The Member suggested that the difficulty was a result of the transfer agreement for the Arctic B and C airports program between the federal and territorial governments which was completed this last February 1991.
The agreement transferred to the territorial Department of Transportation the ownership and the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the airport lands, the runways, the airport buildings and the ground visual aids of the Arviat airport. The transfer agreement did not include responsibility for the electronic air navigation aids. Air navigation systems are national in scope, and remain the exclusive responsibility of the federal government.
My officials at the Department of Transportation have investigated the Member's report, and I believe the lights the Member referred to in his question were the obstruction lights on top of Arviat airport's non-directional beacon tower. On October 15, 1991, the observer /communicator on duty at the Arviat airport reported the failure of lights to Transport Canada officials in Rankin Inlet. Transport Canada issued a Notice To Airmen, NOTAM, concerning the non-directional beacon tower's obstruction lights. By November 15th, a month later, Transport Canada had not repaired the faulty lights.
The hamlet of Arviat wished to replace the lights themselves. The Department of Transportation would not authorize the hamlet's expenditure of moneys on what is properly a federal responsibility. More importantly, while the department commends the hamlet's commitment to air safety, it did not wish hamlet employees to climb the 182-foot high beacon tower to replace the lamps.
On November 15th, the Department of Transportation reminded Transport Canada that the tower lights on the non-directional beacon were still not working. On November 28th, Transport Canada sent two tower maintenance technicians to Arviat who safely replaced the obstruction warning lights on the tower. The delay in repairing the beacon lights in Arviat was not the result of the Arctic airports transfer agreement. Thank you.