Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm going to ask my questions all at once, and then Mr. Blais will take over.
First, I'd like to know whether budgets have been set aside for harbour dredging. As you know, beluga quotas have been set for the coasts of Hudson's Bay and Ungava Bay. The quota of one small village located on the point is distorted every year because people from villages further to the south come and fish off the point. However, the quota is calculated based on the village. The other day, the minister told me that constructive discussions were being held with the Inuit, but we don't know the results.
Furthermore, when the Inuit are asked to count the beluga population, people from the department are then sent to check the count. However, the beluga move on in the meantime, and when the check is done, they've moved further away. Consequently, what is calculated doesn't accurately reflect the stocks. We had asked the minister responsible for the matter to rely on the Inuit's reports, particularly since there was no advantage for them in cheating. It's a matter of survival for them. I'd like to know where those matters stand.
Mr. Da Pont, given that the submarines are currently inactive, would it be possible for you to requisition one to go and count the stocks under the ice? We know that cod populations are declining and we have a lot of questions on that subject. Sometimes we wonder whether it's possible those populations are migrating to colder waters, in view of global warming. I also think this activity could serve as training for submarine personnel.