NLIS 1
October 10, 2002
(Executive Council)

 

Ottawa meetings positive and productive says minister

Tom Lush, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, today said his meetings this past Monday, (October 7) with the Minister of National Defence, John McCallum, were very positive and productive.

"I think we had great success in obtaining our objectives," said Minister Lush. "We wanted the minister to be aware of the importance of the military presence in this province, of our strategic positioning and other advantages as well as our long history of supporting the Canadian military. Right now, the province makes up two per cent of the Canadian population but provincial residents comprise almost 10 per cent of Canada�s armed forces. Despite our great effort to support the military in the province, only one per cent of the Department of National Defence�s budget is spent in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is our hope that with time this will change and the Department of National Defence will work with us to provide a strong and vital program which will provide maximum benefit for the community, province and country."

Before his meetings, the minister stated that his main goal was to engage in an active discussion of future options for stronger provincial involvement in supporting the operation of military training in the province, particularly as it relates to CFB Goose Bay and the NATO Flight Training Program and to discuss with Minister McCallum, a greater Canadian military presence in the province.

"The minister and I discussed the military presence in Newfoundland and Labrador, and more specifically the situation in Happy Valley-Goose Bay," said Minister Lush. "I made the views of the province quite clear and the minister was receptive to them. He has indicated to me that he will respond to my concerns when he returns from his visit to Labrador, which is scheduled for October 15. During his visit, Minister McCallum plans to meet with relevant stakeholders to discuss military issues relevant to the community. I am certain his visit will be very informative and enable him to complete an appropriate and timely response to our discussion."

During the visit to Ottawa, Minister Lush also met with: Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, Jean Augustine; Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canadian Opportunities Agency, Gerry Byrne; and the German Ambassador to Canada, Christian Pauls.

"My other meetings were also quite successful," said Minister Lush. "Ms. Augustine and I discussed immigration issues in the province. This discussion was quite relevant as I will be attending the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Meeting of Ministers of Immigration from October 15 to 16 in Winnipeg. I updated Minister Byrne on the discussions between Minister McCallum and myself and discussed the German military presence in the province with Ambassador Pauls. I also had an opportunity to meet with other MPs from Newfoundland and Labrador to discuss issues pertinent to the province. It was certainly a busy but productive trip."

Media contact: Janice Lockyer, Communications, (709) 729-1341.

2002 10 10                                       10:00 a.m.


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