Transport committee  The simple answer to your question, from a mariner's point of view, and I've not taken ships into the Arctic, is that if your ship is designed for one metre of ice, and if it happens to be pack ice that's two metres thick, you don't go there. But the same effect applies to others who may be operating in the Arctic.

Transport committee  We have several kinds of equipment that we can use for surveillance. But, on site in the Arctic, we have less equipment for ground surveillance. However, the department and the Canadian Forces have various kinds of equipment that we can use, depending on the area and the situation.

Transport committee  In which...

Transport committee  We work every day with NORAD, with the other departments here and with other federal departments on all the activities we are discussing. I am not an expert in the area, but I know that one of the headquarters responsible for this kind of activity is under Canadian command. Canada has direct links with NORAD and other similar organizations.

Transport committee  I am not sure of the exact location of that line.

Transport committee  Sir, if I might, one part of the answer I didn't get to with Mr. Volpe was that the navy and the Department of National Defence are pursuing the project to acquire Arctic offshore patrol vessels. Those vessels are being designed to be far more capable than our current fleet in operating in Canada's north.

Transport committee  That is true. They're being designed to go through first-year ice, and I believe it's about a metre thick. However, the thicker the ice gets--and I am not an expert in Arctic navigation, per se--the fewer vessels you have transiting those waters. You have those waters to enforce the regulations on, but there are far fewer vessels capable of transiting those waters when the ice gets far thicker.

Transport committee  Thank you, Mr. Volpe. I'd preface my remarks by saying, representing the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces, that we do not have an actual mandate to enforce the laws and regulations of which you speak. However, we're working day in and day out with the various government departments that do have those mandates.

Transport committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I welcome the opportunity, but I did not prepare an opening statement, mostly because of the amount of time I had to prepare for today's appearance.