(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a general comment, if I could. I know that the Department of Transportation is not in a business of dealing with or regulating the private airlines. With us living in the high Arctic and in regard to the price of freight that is sent to those remote communities, such as mine, the Pond Inlet people have been asking for an airstrip so they can get a larger freighter airline into their community. First Air goes from Ottawa and Montreal to the eastern communities into the Baffin region. They are the only airlines that service our communities. Using this as an example, I heard recently that if I ordered a skidoo from Montreal to Pond Inlet, it would cost in the neighbourhood of about so much a kilo. If I order from Montreal to Nanisivik, the same skidoo that weights the same weight would be half the freight I would have been charged. That is the reason why they would like to get a larger airstrip. This way would be cheaper. We just have First Air. That is the only airline we have that comes from Montreal, Iqaluit and from Iqaluit a 748 goes to those smaller communities. From Iqaluit to the rest of the communities, the smaller airlines go to those smaller communities. It is pretty far from Iqaluit to those smaller communities and the freight they charge, is a lot more. For that reason they have been wondering if they would be able to get an airstrip, so they could have larger aircraft taking those freights to the other smaller communities. They feel it would be a lot cheaper. I have been told it would be cheaper.

I just want the Minister and his officials to consider that request and Pond Inlet does not have sealift facilities as well. I mentioned before, Pond Inlet does not have a cove, an inlet or a bay for the ships to be able to port there. Freight is getting very expensive, especially when they are using a small aircraft. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (Translation ends)