Mr. Speaker, I want to make a short comment on the importance of the CBC to the north and ask a short question.
The Liberal government provided $1 billion to the CBC. In my area it has been an instrumental public broadcaster. It gives a lot of announcements about NGOs. It has helped to promote many of the charities for which I have worked and it has helped local talent who in no other way would have a forum.
With great broadcasters, such as Les McLaughlin, great stories have been told of our history and culture in the north, stories of the first nations, the steam paddlewheelers, the gold rush and on Robert Service. Sadly, Robert Service's mother died in France in the last couple of weeks. She was a wonderful lady and I pay tribute to her.
My question is related to the extension in the rural areas. Unfortunately, some areas in the north cannot be reached by broadcast signals and, in the harsh climate of the north, this can be very dangerous and critical as it relates to weather, ice breakups and things like that.
Would the member support the efforts of myself and Don Taylor, a former speaker of the Yukon legislature who lives in the bush and who has been trying hard for a number of years to ensure the service is extended around the Watson Lake area and in the rural parts of the north that cannot get the CBC signal at the moment? It would require that investment.