Mr. Speaker, both the Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments have filed a joint appeal of the CRTC's decision with respect to high cost service areas. The consultation process that is required under section 12 of the Telecommunications Act has been launched both by Gazette notice and by requests of the provinces.
In the meantime I want to assure the member that affordability and availability of service is a key part of the government's connecting Canadians strategy. It is fundamental to this strategy that Canadians in every part of Canada have regular affordable access not just to basic telephony but to Internet service.