Thank you, Madam Speaker. The other day I was going through some of my things. I was going to clean out my basement and throw out some things. I came across this scrapbook I had that dealt with some newspaper clippings from the launch of the satellite, Anik "A". It's brought back a flood of memories. Back in 1972 when I was attending AVTC -- Adult Vocational Training Centre in Fort Smith -- we had an occasion to participate in this launch of Anik "A" satellite at Cape Kennedy. We raised money and travelled to Florida to be guests of Telesat Canada to see this launch.

It went off almost on schedule -- a couple of hours late -- but it had a number of firsts, Madam Speaker. It was the first Canadian communication satellite and it was the first satellite that would directly affect the north to the degree that it has. Because it was late, it was also the first nighttime launch of a satellite from the Cape. So it had a little bit of a history to it.

Most people, at the time, hailed this as a great improvement. Something we should be pleased with. But there were sceptics who said it would ruin the north, it would change it forever. It would change the spirit of the north. One thing we do know, Madam Speaker, is that it did change the north. For good or bad, it brought people much closer together. And we took the good with the bad.

In 1979, Madam Speaker, I was there on holidays in Florida, and I also had another occasion to attend the launching of yet another of the Anik class satellites, Anik "C". This was to greatly improve our telecommunications.

Madam Speaker, if I may seek unanimous consent to conclude.