July 7, 2005

Goose Bay MP has lots of ideas for military site: Liberal political fortunes could depend on fate of Labrador base

The Ottawa Citizen

Other federal departments could move their operations into the military's sprawling installation at Goose Bay, Labrador as part of the Martin government's efforts to breathe new life into the base, says the area's recently elected Liberal MP.

The government is under the gun to follow through with promises it made during the May byelection in Goose Bay-Happy Valley to keep the Canadian Forces installation open.

But the military recently rejected suggestions from the community and the main union representing defence workers that it move the Joint Task Force 2 commando unit from Ottawa to the Labrador base.

Goose Bay-Happy Valley MP Todd Russell, however, said new opportunities are being examined for Goose Bay.

"We're going to be certainly canvassing other departments in the federal system to ascertain and do an analysis on whether the infrastructure there could be used," Mr. Russell said.

"Some of those could range from the Canadian Border Services Agency to the Department of Indian Affairs."

Liberal political fortunes could be riding on what ultimately happens to the installation. In the May 24 byelection, the area elected Mr. Russell, and with every vote counting in a minority Parliament, that win was viewed as key for the Liberals.

Prime Minister Paul Martin has met with Goose Bay representatives on several occasions to discuss the future of the installation. Community officials see the high level of interest from the government as a sign the base will remain open.

"I think things are moving," added Mr. Russell. "We're hoping that by late fall, government will be in a position to make some concrete decisions."

Goose Bay was once a key site for NATO low-level fighter jet training, attracting pilots from Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and other allies.

However, defence budget cuts, a shift in flight training practices and the high fees charged by the Canadian government for foreign air forces to use the base forced most of those nations to either leave the installation or wind down their activities there.

Steve Jurgutis, a spokesman for Defence Minister Bill Graham, has noted the military is working on new ideas for Goose Bay. He said the Canadian Forces is planning a multinational flying exercise for sometime next year.

The government has also committed to repaving Goose Bay's runways at a cost of more than $10 million. In addition, Canada is marketing Goose Bay to its military allies, with lower prices and more training opportunities, added Mr. Jurgutis.

Raytheon Canada is also promoting Goose Bay as a potential location for its high-tech X-Band radar, to be used to support the joint U.S.-Canada North American Aerospace Defence Command. But the company has not had any firm commitments from the federal government on that proposal, which critics have warned would be costly and could tie Canada into the controversial U.S. missile defence shield.

Defence analyst Martin Shadwick said Canadian military uses for the base will likely be limited in the future.

"As a training facility it's useful to have, but Cold Lake, Alta., is the focus of CF-18 fighter training," said Mr. Shadwick, a professor of strategic studies at Toronto's York University.

Mr. Shadwick said Goose Bay might play a role in the Liberal government's new emphasis on the Arctic and could act as a staging base for some military operations in the north.

He noted, however, the current situation is not unlike the period from the 1960s to 1980s when the Canadian military presence at Goose Bay was limited.

During the byelection, the Conservatives promised a major expansion of the base.

If elected, the Conservatives said they would locate the military's newly proposed rapid-deployment force -- around 650 troops -- at Goose Bay, as well as expand flight training there.

They said they would also establish a squadron for unmanned aerial vehicles at the site.