Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to try and put things into perspective for western Members. Coming from the Nunavut area, where the access roads are very important to our communities and our people, I will try to tell you why. One reason is that access roads facilitate hunting. A couple of honourable Members indicated that we are in a wage economy. We realize that. We in the Nunavut area consider hunting and trapping as a means of supporting your family. Many people in the communities like Pelly Bay, Gjoa Haven, and other communities I am sure, Clyde River, every community in the small regions depend entirely on hunting. In the eastern Arctic communities, we have a very high rate of unemployment. A majority of the people in the small communities make their living by carving. Many of those people make their living by hunting. I think we should try to make sure people understand what we are talking about. I think access roads also facilitate tourism and tourism, in our area, is one of the most economical means of putting things in the community. When tourists come, they stay in our hotels, where we have local people working in the hotels. Otherwise, these people would be living on social assistance. When the tourists come in, they hire guides. When the tourists come in, they buy carvings and so on. Access roads are very important to us because a tourist could utilize them by using all-terrain vehicles. Another reason the access roads are so important in our area is that they provide access to recreation. We do not have parks in our communities. We do not have many areas that we can bring the kids and family by way of vehicles. Access roads provide transportation by all-terrain vehicles.
We talk about trying to make life better for our elders, handicapped, disadvantaged people, women, children, and so on. Access roads provide the ability of access for our handicapped, elders, women, and young children who are not able to access the recreation areas other than by foot. Most of these people are not able to do that, because of their age, handicap, or they are too small. Access roads are very important in our area. I would like to ask the honourable Minister, do you have a program available to provide access roads in the communities across the territories? Thank you.