Mr. Speaker, I apologize if the letter was not clear. I can tell the honourable Member that I am informed that next week the emergency measures coordinator will be on the reserve and will deliver radios of the kind the Member is describing. They will be in the hands of his constituents next week. What I was trying to say in the letter is that there is a federal program the JEPS program, joint emergency preparedness program which will provide the funds necessary to purchase these units so that temporary arrangements do not have to be made each year. If this program exists, and since we can access it, we would all agree we should use the federal program if it is available.

Short-term needs are being met, as they have been in previous years, next week. We will assist to get money to the band to access this program so that this will not have to come up every year. They can purchase the necessary equipment and radios and have them in hand on a permanent basis from here on in. I hope this is satisfactory.