Thank you, colleagues.
Mr. Minister, thank you for coming today.
I obviously can't speak for everyone at this table, but I think in general terms you're going to find people are very much in favour of the modernization occurring with this legislation.
One of the concerns I have relates specifically to underfunding. I was wondering whether or not you could speak to that as a policy matter.
We heard from the port of Montreal. You know that I come from the port of Saint John. Rather than having three strategies, would there be any benefit to having a strategy called the continental Atlantic strategy, under which, as a national policy, you as a government would encourage Montreal east, where all of those groups would work together?
I'm asking that question because of the St. Lawrence issues, because of the marine transportation issues. Historically, in the maritime provinces, we're more north-south traders, but we have some challenges, certainly, in post-9/11. I was wondering whether we could ask you for your philosophy behind that.
Also, I was wondering whether you would comment on Churchill. As you may know, I, as the critic for cities and communities, have been travelling the country, and I have found that in Manitoba there's a great interest in Churchill. With global warming and climate change happening, Churchill is becoming a bigger issue.
Also as part of my list of questions, Mr. Chair, perhaps I could ask the minister to comment on the challenges that the communities—the smaller ports especially—are facing with security and policing. In bigger cities and city centres, it's not as much of an issue, but certainly in cities like Halifax, St. John's, Newfoundland, and Saint John, New Brunswick, policing, which was taken away from that jurisdiction in the 1990s and downloaded to the municipalities.... I'm wondering whether you might have some comments to offer, in terms of whether special funds might be available.
I've asked you a lot of questions. I'm sorry.