Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, if I recall, at the time of your visit, we had about 9,000 kilograms of food sitting at the end of the air carrier. This morning, we had about 3,500 kilograms. It's still constant. The slate is never clear. The impact is putting direct pressure on the price. It comes to a point where the shelves are empty.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  To ensure our survival, we need better supply logistics, otherwise fresh products are no longer fresh when they arrive. A lot of fresh products end up in the dump. For example, we no longer order ice cream because it is melted by the time we receive it. The cold chain is very hard to maintain back home.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Living in the north and being able to admire nature is a privilege. However, it is hard to access, precisely because of the inadequate infrastructure. A lot of development needs to be done, but for reasons that are possibly financial in nature, development is not moving forward.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  For development we need infrastructure and buildings to house these organizations. Development would in fact improve co-operation between members and improve relations. There would be great harmony. That being said, we need infrastructure, refrigeration and buildings, for example.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That would be good—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, we offer discounts. As I mentioned, 100% of the money we receive from the Nutrition North Canada program is passed on to the clients. We offer different discounts, for example 5% or 10% and various other benefits. A co‑operative sort of becomes the heart and lungs of a village.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I can go. At our level, as we are the last barrier to take a margin on the product—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  A store is the last frontier before the customer, so all the costs that come down on us are mostly built in. Now, for sure, if there's a carbon tax fee built into the freight, there's not a separate line saying that this is carbon tax. It's not like a GST. For us, we don't see it, but if it comes by sealift, yes, there's a carbon tax built in.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I represent Kimik Co-op, based in Kimmirut, formerly known as Lake Harbour. Having a business in the Arctic is one thing, but operating it is another. It is very complicated. The operating costs are disproportionate to operating costs for businesses in the south.