National Defence committee  That's the basic program. I believe about $12 million a year is provided, and if Makivik Construction can decrease the price per house, we can add more houses. It's larger than that. This year around 100 houses were built, maybe even a few more.

National Defence committee  About 120, 140 might be at capacity, but if there is money for a catch-up program, we'd have to mobilize the communities to make sure everything falls in line. We're planning to have a summit in the spring to look into those issues.

National Defence committee  With respect to housing, we have the federal government looking at bringing in a catch-up program, and we hope this will be set up this coming spring. The federal government and the Quebec government would put in money to provide the extra housing needed for the region. So there's always that openness.

National Defence committee  We don't have too many dealings with the Government of Nunavut. Makivik Corporation deals, when we have to, with the Nunavut government, but we also deal with NTI, a Nunavut company similar to Makivik. We work through the Inuitape-Canadame, so we have good relations with them. The Nunavut government seems to worry about their region, rightly so.

National Defence committee  Yes. Thank you, Mr. Bachand. The federal government is looking at providing a catch-up program, providing about 1,140 houses, I believe, for the next seven years after it announces it. After this, we wouldn't have a housing shortage. We have the regular housing program and the negotiations for that.

National Defence committee  In many cases the rangers are hunters. A good majority, maybe 99% of them, are capable hunters in their communities. That's how they're chosen to be part of the rangers. They're given training on how to do search and rescue patterns and such on the land and in the water. So they're already part of the wage economy, because they hunt and provide for the community in terms of getting country food and fish.

National Defence committee  I mentioned the marine infrastructures program. It's basically a breakwater, or an artificial harbour, which provides close to 24-hour access for the hunters and people out and about on the waters, giving them a way to return to home base. In Nunavik we have the largest tides in the world.

National Defence committee  If there's more money, they'll accept it.

National Defence committee  We have very good communications with the Province of Quebec, with Premier Charest, and with the previous premiers as well. Our communication lines are very good. Pita, our president, brought up the issue of Nunavik not being part of the northern strategy with the government. I don't have my papers with me, but I believe it was with the premier.

National Defence committee  Actually, there was some documentation too. On the other point, we're working well with the Quebec government for their plan nord. There's a big meeting happening tomorrow, I believe, or today in Quebec City. There's going to be an announcement. We're being kept updated as to what is being planned.

National Defence committee  If you're talking about a northern strategy, make it a northern strategy for the northern population and the geography—the people and the land. Don't exclude us just because we happen to be in the province of Quebec. It's based on artificial boundaries. Base it on real things: the land and the people.

National Defence committee  I'd like to add one more thing to that. The Canadian government has to have more of a presence in the north in terms of Arctic sovereignty. As I said earlier, if there's someone missing or if there is a submarine.... I don't know what detection measures the Department of National Defence has, but if a submarine appears in our waters, people are not going to know about it.

National Defence committee  Yes.

National Defence committee  A few of my friends have broken down ski-doos that can't be replaced by the rangers. They can't go hunting because of it. They do get a nominal fee, a rental rate for using their machines, but they break down. There's a lot of wear and tear on those machines because they're used quite heavily for patrols.

National Defence committee  I think four or five days is pretty much the norm. In distance alone, CFB Trenton is very far from Nunavik, and even farther from Nunavut. It takes a long time for the planes to arrive. It's mainly recovery, not a search and rescue. It becomes a recovery process instead of a search and rescue in those cases.