Citizenship and Immigration committee  We are looking at about a 15% cut from our budget of past years. It's about a 30% cut from what we had proposed to expand across northwestern Ontario. There are communities that have no service whatsoever, and we had proposed to do some video conferencing, teleconferencing, or at least have toll-free access to some of the communities, which we now can't do.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Sure. I think as far as nation-building goes, and keeping the smaller communities afloat and an influx of service to our area and bringing new Canadians to Thunder Bay and to our region for jobs that we have available--there is employment available--it's critical to remember the smaller centres, the remote areas, the northern areas, can quite effectively settle newcomers but need the funding and support to do that.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  It's very cold. It's a pretty chilly morning.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you. And thank you again for accommodating me up here in the north when I wasn't able to appear before you. We are the only settlement agency, actually a one-stop shop, for everyone who settles in northwestern Ontario. That's Sault Ste. Marie to the Manitoba border, approximately 1,500 kilometres and about 500,000 kilometres square.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I can hear you well. Thank you.