Mr. Speaker, the summer break is a wonderful time for all of us to return to our ridings, restore our strength from the land, and the lifestyle, and to get an earful from our constituents.

The people of my riding have always been great travellers and hard working, determined hunters and one of the most valuable items during their travels was the exchange of news and information -- about the land, the weather, and ice conditions, and most importantly, about the people.

Traditionally, we took care of ourselves, just as we did everything else ourselves. With the building of the communities and the creation of a new lifestyle, radio became the first new technology to fit easily into our lives, first with short-wave and later with local community radio transmitters. Access to news and information in our community and region as well as the other areas of the north, and the entire country has always come to us through the radio.

Our elders, the Innumariit, quickly learned to use local access radio to pass along the oral history and traditional knowledge of our people. Hunters still report on their recent trips, the new dangers or successful location of caribou at a particular spot. Inuktitut language radio programming has developed to a very high level by CBC North and Inuit Broadcasting Corporation. This is programming that wins awards around the world and sets standards for others to match.

Mr. Speaker, in a climate of constant cuts, there is the danger of becoming numb to the painful realities of our people. We cannot allow this to happen if we are to represent not just the interest of our people, but the needs of all people.

Earlier this month, the CBC announced more massive cuts to its entire system. Most of the cuts in the north will be felt in radio, which is still much larger than television in CBC North.

Mr. Speaker, may I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement?