Thank you very much, Ms. Ashton.
This is a file that's obviously very near and dear to the chamber's heart. It's an issue that we've been dealing with. I've been up there on numerous occasions.
I appreciate your initial comment about the need for a long-term solution. I think there has been so much uncertainty in northern Manitoba in terms of the potential but also some of the challenges that the communities are dealing with. When I go to visit communities in northern Manitoba, there is, for those of you who may not be aware, an uncertainty in every single community in northern Manitoba.
In your home community of Thompson, there's a lot of uncertainty going on there in terms of what the long-term solutions will be. It's the same in Flin Flon, The Pas, and Churchill.
That's part of the rationale for our organization calling for a long-term economic development strategy. We need to determine what is in the best interests of northern Manitoba—with individuals from northern Manitoba. They need to be part of that solution, as do the indigenous community and the community as a whole in terms of looking at the long-term solution.
We're very aware of Mr. Spence's comments in terms of a solution for the Port of Churchill. Our organization hasn't taken a hard and fast position on exactly the nationalization. We look at the opportunities in the far north in terms of Churchill being a resupply port to the far north, in terms of the strategic asset we have. We think it would be significantly impacted if it were to be lost. We think it needs to be a key priority for the federal government as well as for the provincial government.
We understand that there are no quick solutions to this, but I think the fact that we're continuing to make this a top priority for our organization and continuing to push with both the provincial and federal governments is key. Working with stakeholders, making sure that individuals in the north are part of the solution, and making it a long-term solution, not one that will be there just for short-term gains, are what we would obviously be in favour of.