Mr. Speaker, I would like to start my speech by paying my respects to Pauloosie Paniloo and his family and friends. He was a member of the Canadian Rangers, a former MLA and he died on Friday on routine patrol in Nunavut.
I was prompted to raise my question on the government's lack of a northern strategy on Friday, March 23 in the House and it had no answer. Since that time Canada's government has continued to demonstrate that it does not have a strategy for the north.
My questions were simple. The previous government demonstrated an understanding of the north that resulted in infrastructure, economic development and land claims. It is fair to say that the north prospers today because of the work of the previous administration in its dealings and investments with the first nations community and with northern governments.
The Prime Minister promised the north three new icebreakers and a northern port. For some reason they have disappeared from the government's budget documents, so let me ask again. When will the government deliver on its only promise to the north for icebreakers, search and rescue craft north of 60 and a northern port? The people of the north are still waiting for proof that the government will deliver.
Last summer there was a military exercise in the north. The Prime Minister was escaping from the AIDS conference in Toronto so he and the defence minister came north. As the Ottawa Citizen reported on March 19, the military report explained that the Prime Minister and defence minister disrupted the northern sovereignty operation by coming with only two days' notice and distracting the military personnel.
It is interesting to note that Operation Narwhal is currently under way. This exercise involves the military, law enforcement agencies and energy companies and is testing defence plans against a possible terrorist attack on Canada's northern oil and gas infrastructure. Maybe we could get an update on this exercise before the Prime Minister or a cabinet minister shows up again in the north for a tour and disrupts the exercise by diverting armed forces personnel away from the mission, much like what happened last summer during Operation Lancaster.
Planning for Operation Narwhal began in 2004 under the Liberal government, once again demonstrating an understanding of the north and a strategy working for its best interests.
Earlier this month armed forces personnel and northern rangers participated in an 8,000 kilometre patrol across Ellesmere Island. Perhaps this is the government's backup plan to the broken promises for icebreakers and a northern port to back up our sovereignty claims. The mission was successfully completed. I suggest that some northern history was etched out in a patrol of this magnitude. I congratulate the forces members and rangers.
We need to ensure that sovereignty patrols of this nature will be undertaken on a regular basis. Unfortunately there is no indication if that will be the case.
A meaningful report on a northern strategy in this House would address issues such as coastal and continental shelf mapping and sovereignty issues, such as where the United States is claiming oil and gas rich Canadian waters, something the government does not care to address. Why is that?
Furthermore, with many countries addressing concerns of global warming and meaningful follow-up for the International Polar Year, such as including new infrastructure and scientific research infrastructure that is so needed in northern Canada, one would think the government's northern strategy would address this issue, but that is not the case.
There are too many examples of a lack of action for the north. I wish the government would come forward with a northern strategy. I look forward to hearing from the parliamentary secretary on this strategy.