Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Minister, in June 2019, the Special Senate Committee on the Arctic released a support entitled Northern Lights: A Wake-Up Call for the Future of Canada. We made 30 recommendations that were formed over two years of study, which included extensive witness testimony and a fact-finding mission across the Arctic.

Recommendation 24 reads:

That the Government of Canada, on an immediate basis, establish a robust governance regime to regulate activities in Canada’s Arctic waters, including shipping corridors, and bonding and insurance requirements. . . .

Will your government commit to requiring sailing plans to be filed with your department for all marine vessels and not just those above a certain tonnage? Will it investigate the use of bonding and insurance requirements for pleasure vessels that are increasingly navigating the Northwest Passage? Also, will it fund the construction of necessary infrastructure and navigation aids required in the passage?

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Minister, you know that in Nunavut we have no road or rail connections to the South, so Nunavut’s capital investment in transportation infrastructure is critical. I know that Nunavut’s Department of Economic Development and Transportation welcomed the opportunity the National Trade Corridors Fund, or NTCF, provided to replace a number of outdated 1970s-era undersized and deteriorating airport terminals to support our only year-round method of transportation.

However, as you know, post-COVID cost increases in supplies and labour are creating cost overruns that have led to increases and a threatened delay in tendering some of the planned NTCF activities.

Will your government commit to additional funds to address the shortfall created by inflation and post-COVID pressures on the supply chain and labour force?