Science and Research committee  Yes, absolutely. I want to come back to Mr. Boulerice's question earlier about permafrost carbon feedback. I believe that we need to measure that in Canada. Our knowledge of it comes from international literature, which is mostly based on mathematical models and remote sensing analysis across the Arctic, but there are very few studies on the ground to measure the gas emissions that naturally come from permafrost, first of all, and degraded permafrost.

Science and Research committee  Build relationships and visiting these places. My colleagues, like Dr. Cockney, know what it's like to work with researchers. Many of them come through Tuktoyaktuk and are involved in coastal erosion studies. That includes a number of my colleagues. You know that travel and meetings are very expensive.

Science and Research committee  There are certainly a number of institutions. I'm thinking, for example, of Nunavut Arctic College; the Nunavut Research Institute; the Aurora College Research Institute located in Inuvik; and Yukon University located in Whitehorse. These organizations are growing on an intellectual and scientific capacity level.

Science and Research committee  This tool is highly technical and it works well. These are systems of pipes that run beneath the foundations of buildings and that extract the heat that the building transfers to the ground. Thermosiphons contain carbon dioxide, which rises in the tubes on the side of the building.

Science and Research committee  So we need exercise.

Science and Research committee  In short, global warming encourages plant growth. Shrubs are currently becoming more abundant, especially on the tundra. These shrubs include dwarf birch and willow. This can be seen in satellite images. This changes the ground's thermal regime. In particular, it increases snow accumulation on the ground and causes permafrost degradation.

Science and Research committee  Yes. That's the permafrost carbon feedback that I referred to earlier. Across Canada, we could work with some communities. We want the chance to work with them on this issue to make sure that everyone understands the state of the environment and also to study the actual carbon footprint.

Science and Research committee  For a number of years, the federal government, through Transport Canada, had an excellent program called the northern transportation adaptation initiative. People got together. They visited a number of northern communities. They worked on major projects, such as the Inuvik‑Tuktoyaktuk Highway, the Dempster Highway, the Alaska Highway—with the Alaskans—and the Iqaluit airport.

Science and Research committee  In my opinion, yes. I'm thinking specifically about permafrost mapping in communities and adaptation work on the ground. In Nunavik, for example, the main concern of Inuit communities is access to resources for hunting and fishing. This access has become less and less safe as a result of climate change.

Science and Research committee  When I work in Quebec, yes.

Science and Research committee  Ha! I know that your committee is made up of politicians.

Science and Research committee  Just yesterday, we met with the president of Air Inuit. The gravel runway poses an issue that requires him to adapt his new Boeing. With the Quebec department of transportation, he's looking for ways to make the runways more solid. I think that they'll end up having to pave the runways.

Science and Research committee  Research networks are working closely together, particularly Alaska and Canada. Moreover, we're starting to share work methods. For example, we're sharing permafrost mapping with the Inuit communities and on the communities' land, so that we can help them adapt. In this committee, we're currently talking about setting up programs or making the best possible scientific programs inspired by the communities, in order to work with them.

Science and Research committee  Okay. Thank you.

Science and Research committee  Good morning. My name is Michel Allard. I work at Université Laval as a professor emeritus. You can tell by my hair colour. I'm a researcher at Université Laval's Centre for Northern Studies. I'm a member of the Canadian permafrost research community. For a number of years, I was a member of the ArcticNet research network.