Thank you.
Minister, I want to thank you for being here today.
I represent people from the Far North. They live in very isolated rural areas. As a result, telecommunications issues are very important for the new economy in the North.
I want to begin by speaking to the issue of broadband penetration, because our ability to compete in isolated regions is very much tied to cellphone and broadband coverage. I'm looking to the experience of the U.S., where they did rapid deregulation and they have some of the poorest rural broadband penetration in the OECD right now. I'm wondering what steps you will take to make sure our regions across the northern parts of Canada will be able to maintain strong broadband, because it has come through CRTC directives, and whether or not you will ensure that section 7 of the Telecommunications Act will remain strong so that we can guarantee the safeguards for Canadians to have access to these services.