Mr. Speaker, I definitely share the former speaker's passion on this issue. I am the proud representative of North Island—Powell River. My job is always to come to this place and reflect the realities of rural and remote communities. Motion No. 208 focuses on a concern that many of my constituents share around rural digital infrastructure.
There are many communities across my riding where there is limited internet access and many areas with no cell service at all. There are communities and regions in our area that only have dial-up access. Several petitions have come from my region informing the government about how important cell reception is to the people who live there. The availability is so low. I continue to table them in the House as they arrive.
I want to thank the member for Pontiac for bringing this important motion to the House so I have an opportunity to speak to it. I work with him on the indigenous and northern affairs committee.
However, I will also reiterate that this is a bit frustrating to be in the place of reiterating again and again the need. I think we all know how strong the need is for rural and remote communities to have high-speed Internet, to have access to cell reception. We know those communities are having certain challenge because they do not have that access.
The member's motion also looks at a gap. From the outset, we knew what those problems were. I think the House knows in detail what those problems and limitations are for maintaining and developing a digital network in remote areas.
I am concerned as well that we are standing here at the end of the 42nd Parliament having this discussion when the House standing committees are very busy doing the work they need to do. I do not think they need to reiterate again the needs of these communities. That need has been established. It is very clear. There is a record of it in this place. It is time that we see some action.
1 understand the concern of identifying major issues of safety, that lack of rural digital infrastructure and what that does to those regions in Canada. In November of last year, my riding had a horrific example of what the lack of cell service meant in the communities. People who have not come to my riding and done the beautiful drive to the real north of the north Vancouver Island region should do so. It is a beautiful area, but it is also a very isolated area with no cell reception.
Duncan Moffat is a 23-year-old man. He was driving and he went off of Highway 19 just south of Sayward. His truck dropped down about 12 metres on a slope. He was pinned inside and not visible from the road. In fact, no one saw him. He survived off the apples and Gatorade that he had in the vehicle with him and he was kept warm with cardboard boxes.
I want to just note that November of last year it was quite cold. I know I live on Vancouver Island and it does not get to -20°C very often like it does in this area, but it was very cold. The phone was sitting right next to him, but because there was no phone reception, he could not make that call. He was found nearly a week later, simply by chance. A hunter was out in the area, saw the wreck.
What was most ironic, startling and sad was that when his mother was called to be told that her son, who she had been looking for desperately, had been found, she was just out of cell service area, putting up posters to help hunters know to look for him. lt was not until she came back to where she was in range that she got the information.
I want to thank Duncan and his family for sharing this experience. I am really proud to come to this place and share that stark reality. This is what it means for too many rural and remote communities across the country, where people are put in situations that are simply not safe. It is not right that some parts of Canada have a lot of access and other parts do not.
I am really interested in seeing action. The understanding and knowledge of the issues around the lack of a cellular network is a public safety issue and we know this. I outlined it just now. The government has the information. Let us just move toward actually implementing an effective rural digital strategy immediately. The communities in my riding have waited long enough and it is time.
I am pleased that some of the Connect to Innovate funding has been tagged for the region that I represent. This funding will support communities and their needs, and I am very happy to see that.
The local ISPs are ready to go to work, but I will also note here that although this funding was announced and made public, they are still waiting for the next step so that the project can actually move forward. This is backbone infrastructure that is much needed in our region, and it will provide great opportunities for our communities, which have been desperately calling for it. However, it is not cellphone infrastructure, and that is important. I am glad that this step is being taken and I am glad that it is going to improve cell reception in the future, but it is still not the cellphone infrastructure that we need.
Innovation lives in all communities across Canada, and small and remote communities are actively working on solutions to diversify and broaden their local economies. I have recently spent time with both the Port McNeill and District Chamber of Commerce and the Port Hardy Chamber of Commerce. Connectivity continues to be a significant concern in the work that they are doing in their regions with local businesses.
I would like to outline here that recently the largest community that I represent, Campbell River, with a population of just over 34,000, in the last couple of years put up its own infrastructure within the city centre so that we could attract more businesses that have a need for very high-speed Internet. It came to the point that the city itself had to build that infrastructure so that we could attract businesses to our region. When that is happening, I hope that this place understands how serious the need is. Even though there is some connectivity, if it is not the very high-speed Internet that so many businesses need, that lack provides yet another barrier to those small communities. A lot of my communities are seeing extensive interest from people and businesses outside of our region, but the limited access to Internet and the limited cell reception are huge barriers.
I spend a lot of time in my riding speaking with indigenous leaders, mayors and regional district representatives from communities like Gold River, Sayward, Mowachaht Muchalaht, Gwa'sala-Nakwaxda, Dzawada'enuxw in Kingcome Inlet, Holberg, Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Alert Bay and Port Alice. If I listed them all, we would be here a lot longer. I have not had a chance to mention them all, but the need is very clear, as we can tell just from that short list of people and communities in my riding.
While the connect to innovate government program was put in place to improve broadband Internet connectivity for rural Canadians, these programs focused exclusively on Internet and did not cover cellular network development. The issue of cellular access must be addressed. It is for the safety and the potential financial well-being of the people for whom I am here and honoured to represent.
Rural and remote communities are strong, and as a result of the many ups and downs we have faced, we are adaptable. Ups and downs breed tenacity and innovation. As rural and remote communities across Canada look at how to build strength in their communities, this infrastructure is imperative. It is also imperative that the Canadian government step up to the plate. We want to see rural and remote communities do well. That work needs to be supported.
The NDP is calling, first and foremost, for cellphone infrastructure to be included immediately in the communications development strategies. Beyond this vital improvement, I support the development of the best communications systems in the world for Canada, a country that relies entirely on innovation to maintain its enviable position among wealthy countries. Connectivity is essential to efficient internal and international trade, and communities like mine want to be included.
They are ready and willing to do the work; we just need that bit of support. The government must be part of the solution. Already in Canada, Internet and cell costs are some of the highest in the world. These barriers are only felt that much harder in small and rural communities like the ones that I represent.
I will support Motion No. 208. I hope to see that if this motion actually gets to committee, action is taken very promptly. My constituents deserve nothing less.