Foreign Affairs committee  There was significant ice blockage in Frobisher Bay. It was quite unusual. It hadn't been seen in many years, with vessels having a hard time getting in and out of Frobisher Bay due to the ice. We had two icebreakers there for most of the month of July, breaking vessels in and ou

Foreign Affairs committee  Two years ago, yes, there was a problem with getting fuel into the community of Barrow, I believe, in Alaska. Their heavy icebreaker Healy was not available. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, our medium icebreaker on the west coast, was already down south, and it wasn't suitable for the kind

Foreign Affairs committee  Tankers go through the Arctic to do community resupply of fuel all summer.

Foreign Affairs committee  Well, they range in size.

Foreign Affairs committee  In terms of risks, the Exxon Valdez, of course, was well known, and that was captain error. The risks of oil tankers at this time in the Arctic are, when they do the resupply, spills at that point.

Foreign Affairs committee  No.

Foreign Affairs committee  As we said, the Northwest Passage and the waters in the Arctic, the other routes available, are inherently still dangerous. The shippers know that, especially tankers. They don't take risks.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes.

Foreign Affairs committee  There are skimmers. It's that kind of hands-on—

Foreign Affairs committee  I'm not sure what you mean by not good enough.

Foreign Affairs committee  There is always research ongoing, worldwide. We draw on both Canadian research and international best practices. I wouldn't want to give you a percentage, but it's not something that's static. As new developments in technology or approaches are tested—

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, it's very complex. It's not the same as—

Foreign Affairs committee  No. I can't give you an instance of a large oil spill in ice-filled waters.

Foreign Affairs committee  Right, and that is a positive thing, in that there haven't been large spills.

Foreign Affairs committee  Every one of our icebreakers except one, the Terry Fox, carries helicopters in the Arctic. They are coast guard-owned and are operated by Transport Canada pilots who become part of our crew.