Mr. Speaker, I'm told that the Minister attempted to call me but was afraid to interrupt the meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance to tell me that democracy was over in Iqaluit. I am told, Mr. Speaker, that his deputy minister tried to call me on November 10, but was unsuccessful. I would like to ask the Minister -- because he received a letter from me on November 12 objecting to my not have been informed or consulted in any way -- when he says that the deputy minister was unsuccessful in reaching me, how precisely was the Minister unsuccessful?

Did he phone and there was no answer? Did the phone connection not work? Was he unable to leave a message on my voice mail machine, which was working all that week and gave me many messages while I was at the standing committee meetings? How was it that his deputy minister was unsuccessful in getting a hold of me on November 10? Thank you.