Yvonne Jones, MHA for the District of Cartwright-L’Anse Au
Clair, says just when you think things cannot get any worse for Labrador, it
actually does. Jones says the decision of the Department of National Defense
(DND) to establish a federal provincial agency to run the base at Goose Bay
will leave people without jobs and the local economy will lose millions of
dollars in revenue."The federal government is only looking at saving
money and nothing more," said Ms. Jones. "Unfortunately, DND is not giving
consideration to the negative impacts this decision will have on the people
and the economy of Labrador. We have already experienced much uncertainty
over the past few months, and now this decision will create more havoc.
"Labradorians must press all three federal party leaders to get a
commitment for Five- Wing Goose Bay. Everyday more and more Canadian
military personnel are being transferred out of Labrador to other bases in
Canada. The footprint of Five-Wing is shrinking, buildings are being closed,
and more property is being dismantled.
"With the geography of Labrador, when one region experiences a downward
shift in their economy, all of Labrador feels the impact. I am worried about
future stability of Labrador. We need to build on what we have for the
future."