Senator Gold: I will certainly make specific inquiries, because I don’t want to mislead the chamber. I don’t know specifically what consultations, understandings or plans are in place on particular aspects of our defence policy and planning, but I will say that the Government of Canada has and will continue to work with Indigenous communities in the North and elsewhere whenever appropriate.

With regard to our security and well-being in the North, there is a long-standing tradition of working with local communities, whether it’s in the area of search and rescue or more generally monitoring the North. I will certainly make inquiries more specifically, senator, and be glad to report back when I can.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. I don’t know how long the review will take, but I’ll make inquiries, senator. I know that the issue of our warning systems and more generally some of the older networks and resources that we have in place to protect Canadians are also a subject of very keen review and consideration.

As I said in response to an earlier question, the money set aside in the budget and the increases in defence funding are part of this government’s ongoing commitment to re-energize, refit and re‑equip the Canadian Armed Forces to do the job that we need it to do — to defend our interests here and also our interests abroad.