The Minister of Transportation. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, from the honourable Member for the High Arctic Member's statement today, the question is dealing with the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaking services for the western Arctic and the eastern Arctic as well. As we know, the federal government is responsible for providing the service, and there is a plan that is proposed, put forward by the Canadian Coast Guard, to cancel a dedicated icebreaker to service the western Arctic during the 1997 summer resupply season. Perhaps, I will leave it at that and wait for a supplementary. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question. So are you prepared to give us the answer to my question? Have you discussed this with anyone who has the same concern? Thank you. (Translation ends)

Mr. Antoine.

Yes, Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this situation by the Canadian Coast Guard planning to change the way they provide icebreaker service in the western Arctic is a big concern to this government and to myself. The shipping company, especially the NTCL and other businesses in the High Arctic, especially the communities, are very concerned about this issues. My officials have met a number of times with the officials of the Canadian Coast Guard. We have sent very strong letters to them, and we have attended a meeting recently of the new committee that was set up by the Canadian Coast Guard, they have established a board called The Arctic Marine Advisory Board, that is chaired by the President of the NTCL, Cameron Clement. They have already had a meeting December 6. They are planning to have another meeting February 3 and 4 in Iqaluit. This board is very concerned about the icebreaker situation in the High Arctic, and we are taking a very strong stand to try to find different ways to deal with this issue. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Dent.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

I guess we could say, Mr. Speaker, in the old days the library was a place where everyone was very quiet and could get books. As we all know a lot has changed and libraries are becoming very interesting places with computer terminals, and so on. Can the Minister responsible for the library service, Mr. Dent, describe to me, to this House, what he means when he says public library service, what range of service does the Minister see in those libraries, when there is no regional librarian in the library?

Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Over the past couple of days on my questioning in this area, the Minister keeps talking about some of the changes in the libraries that are going to take place, and I guess the biggest change is technology. I guess in larger centres libraries can access Internet and other technology which expands its service. Does the Minister see Internet services and accessed information workstation as a key piece of future community libraries?

Mr. Dent.

Oral question. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to joining the Minister on that information highway. Hopefully, passing him by. The idea of having technology in a community library, I guess, is a good goal. However, this government is only now just starting to develop the process of developing the electronic backbone of a system which will allow communities to access electronic information systems. In the meantime, people will still need a human link between the community residents and the information they need. In the Baffin and Keewatin, the community librarian plays that important role. Can the Minister indicate whether his department considered retaining the regional librarian positions until our technology systems are tried and tested and actually up and running? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Dent.

Oral questions. Mr. Roland.