Representatives from a Russian delegation who toured Sault Ste. Marie believe if there is a will, there is a way.

The delegation left the Sault for North Bay Monday and were to then to travel to Toronto to meet with Transportation Minister Donna Cansfield.

Speaking through an interpreter, Yury Paranichev, first deputy governor of Russia's Irkutsk Regional Administration, said the distance between Bratsk, Russia and the Sault is a strong advantage to promote transpolar air cargo. Reducing air cargo freight costs and reducing emissions into the environment are a bonus.

Paranichev said he knows the 6,000-foot runway at Sault Ste. Marie Airport poses a serious disadvantage that the city and the federal government will have to work on to rectify if it wants to see the city used for air cargo. "The length of the runway is one of the main technical problems. . . . We understand this," Paranichev said through interpreter Dmitry Bystrov.
Bystrov is the acting trade commissioner and first secretary of the embassy of the Russian federation in Ottawa.

Paranichev said Bratsk underwent the technical and expensive work needed to accommodate heavy aircraft and understands what's involved. "The technical aspects are not the main obstacles to have something done. If there is a will, a good will, you can solve technical issues much faster."

Paranichev couldn't compare the Sault's facilities to North Bay's until he has toured that city.

He said the transpolar issue surfaced "a couple of dozen of years ago" but could not be realized because the Russian government had a lack of political will and the economic base was was not there.

The region of Irkutsk is about 800,000 square kilometres and has industries in forestry, oil/gas and metalology.

"It's impossible to have economic development without the infrastructure," said Paranichev.

The cross polar notion is a serious step in transpolar aviation and there is a need to establish logistic hubs for the future, he said.

Recently, the City of Winnipeg, through Manitoba Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Ron Lemieux, signed an agreement with the Russian Federation agreeing to establish cross polar regular air service between Krasnoyarsk.

While the flight service has yet to come, the agreement calls for co-operation between airport personnel between the two cities and government. It also establishes a working group to undertake market analysis, identify carriers and develop market strategy.

Sergey Vasilyevic, mayor of Bratsk, said his city, with a population of 300,000, is a leading economic force in the Irkutsk region. Enterprises include hydro power, pulp and an aluminum plant.

Vasilyevic, also speaking through an interpreter, said his city's airport can accept any big planes on cross polar missions and the idea has the support of the regional and federal governments.

Bystrov said the the Russian Consulate is very interested in economic trade and development opportunities.

In August, federal transport officials will visit Moscow to discuss air cargo opportunities and in September a meeting will be held in Canada, with an expected visit by the Russian Prime Minister to Canada in November.

"Everyone knows that when heads of government meet, . . . they need something to sign," he said.

Rowswell said the Russian delegates have caught on to the idea of how transpolar can develop their economy by linking Asia and the Pacific Rim to North America. "They can catch both ends and they want to grow their economy as well."

Rowswell noted establishment of transpolar flights would look good in the federal government's dossier on the environment and would at the same time develop the Canadian economy.

Rowswell said he thinks Prime Minister Stephen Harper has recently announced two programs that could advance transpolar and the environment and he believes those policies could be a help in funding improvements at Sault Ste. Marie Airport.