Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the January 10th to 15th, I had the opportunity to visit Taloyoak. During that visit I had a discussion with the mayor of Taloyoak, Mr. Dennis Lyall and Mr. Elwood Johnston, the senior administrative officer. There were many issues that we discussed, but one major issue that came out from that discussion was regarding the length of the runway in Taloyoak.
Mr. Antoine, the Minister of Transportation, will remember that I had brought this issue in this forum some time in spring. On January 15, 1996, Mr. Elwood Johnston had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Antoine and his official to talk about the same issue. Mr. Dennis Lyall, the mayor of Taloyoak, was not able to make it here because of the weather in the eastern arctic. According to the information that I relayed to you over in the spring session, Mr. Antoine, the Taloyoak runway has been reduced to 3,610 feet because of the new regulation of the Ministry of Transportation of the country. I also indicated to the minister that we need to increase the runway by about 3,390. At the meeting of January 15, 1996, according to information I got from the hamlet of Taloyoak, the same request was relayed to the Minister and his officials. It is very critical for the medevac. And, for one thing, in the event that one of the equipment in the community used for municipal services delivery, as for water truck, sewage truck, fuel truck, if one of those equipment should burn down in the winter time, there is no way that you could bring in new equipment to the community unless by air. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the appropriate Minister about the request. Thank you.