One of my favourite Canadian-owned companies is Viking Air of Victoria, B.C. They're making brand-new Twin Otters, one of the best aircraft ever built in the world. They're making them and selling them around the world. I understand they will be putting in a bid for new DHC-5 Buffalos for fixed-wing search and rescue. As part of their scoping out of Canada's search and rescue needs, they have proposed basing search and rescue assets across Canada's north, assets that are owned and operated by a private company.
Now, I'm a little bit agnostic on this. What I want to see are services that are reliable and do the job well. The actual mode of delivery is less important. There are other models in other countries as to how this can be done efficiently, so let's not close off any options here, but let's recognize the urgency of the task. What I don't want to see—with all respect—is this sent off to another committee for a long study. The defence minister has his brief on this. This has been going on for almost a decade. It's time to deliver on fixed-wing search and rescue.
Then, in terms of the helicopters, that's a decision that can be made by the Canadian Forces at the top level. Do we need to put a Cormorant in Rankin Inlet, Iqaluit, or Inuvik during the summer months? I think the answer is yes, but those experts know more than I do. They're the people who actually deploy the aircraft and run the personnel.