Thank you, Mr. Speaker. People in the communities of Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic often have to go to Inuvik for medical services and treatment, which is not available in our communities. As a result, patients from communities on the Dempster Highway or the winter road system are usually sent by taxi or shuttle bus, rather than by aircraft, to Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, the trip from Aklavik or Fort McPherson can take up to two-and-a-half hours or more, and costs approximately $200 one way by taxi. In the summer, you have to take the ferry from and to Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson, which runs once per hour and takes about 45 minutes to cross. For many patients, Mr. Speaker, the trip by taxi or private vehicle is not a great hardship, but there are those patients, especially those who are very frail, have a serious illness and are our elders, that have a hard time taking the long trip. Worse, Mr. Speaker, the patient has serious breathing problems and because of the trip being taken during the summer, it is very dusty travelling over a gravel road such as the Dempster Highway.

Mr. Speaker, Aklavik and Fort McPherson have scheduled air service to Inuvik twice daily during the break-up and freeze-up periods of the year. The cost from Aklavik is $140 and from Fort McPherson it is about $160 return. That trip takes about 25 minutes and 50 minutes from Fort McPherson back to Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, I have received complaints from people who are asking the question, "Do we have a choice in regard to how travel is being done and who makes that choice, by road or by air?" Also, there are questions of the cost.

Is it clear, Mr. Speaker, that if it is necessary to go by road or by air, do the patients have a say in consideration of the comfort, the pain that the effect of travel on some of our patients may cause while travelling between Inuvik and our communities? Mr. Speaker, I see unanimous consent to conclude my statement.