Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you for your presentations.
I take it from your presentation, Madam Lalonde, that the major issue of contention is the Northwest Passage.
I ask you if you agree with me that the issue of the boundary on the Beaufort Sea, the issue of the extent of the continental shelf, and even the disagreement over Hans Island are conventional disputes that can just be resolved by either agreement or by arbitration, so there's not really a worry there. The issue of the Northwest Passage, however, is one that is still a live issue. Can I ask you whether a presence is important there? I'm asking that in the context of the relatively cheap use of the coast guard versus naval ships. Let's face it, it's a much more expensive proposition. Is presence important, even with the Northwest Passage?
Do you have any comment on the fact that none of the 12 new coast guard vessels that are now under tender have icebreaking capabilities? Is that going to be a problem for us?