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Executive Council
June 18, 2008

Minister Hedderson Tours 9 Wing Gander

 

The Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs, toured the base at 9 Wing Gander today as part of his commitment to visit the three active military facilities in the province.

 

Minister Hedderson met with Lieutenant-Colonel Tammy Harris, who was appointed Wing Commander of 9 Wing Gander in June 2007.  The meeting provided the minister with the opportunity to see the facility and get an up front look at the base operations.  It also provided the representatives from 9 Wing an opportunity to discuss the base�s current and future activities.

 

�It has been quite a privilege to visit the installations in the province and this tour of 9 Wing Gander has given me a greater sense of what the base means to the province and the town of Gander,� said Minister Hedderson.  �Being the provincial minister responsible for defence issues, I have made it a priority to ensure federal commitments to enhance defence presence in the province are fulfilled and all facilities are operating to their full capacities.�

 

9 Wing Gander is the third military facility Minister Hedderson has visited in the last six months. In December 2007, the minister visited 5 Wing Goose Bay and met with Lieutenant-Colonel Brian Bowerman.  In March he met with Commander Robert J. Clark and toured CFS St. John�s.  There have been commitments made by the Federal Government to increase personnel and military presence at 5 Wing and CFS St. John�s but these commitments have yet to be met.  Minister Hedderson has written the Minister of National Defence, Peter MacKay, to request a meeting to discuss these commitments.

 

Minister Hedderson continues to bring forward to the Federal Government the province�s position that these military facilities should be fully utilized.  Having the opportunity to speak with representatives of all three installations has given the minister an understanding of current and planned operations.  It also aids him as he works with the Government of Canada to ensure military diversification and sustainable long-term operation of the installations within the province.  These facilities have valuable infrastructure and maximizing the use of these sites by the Canadian Forces is a provincial priority.

 

�Visiting all three facilities has provided great insight into the workings of Canadian Forces installations in the province and the valuable contribution they make to Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Canadian Forces as a whole,� said Minister Hedderson.  �Having seen the facilities today and heard about the operations at 9 Wing, I have great confidence that the base will continue to play a significant role into the future.�

 

9 Wing Gander employs 135 regular force personnel, 90 reservists and 35 civilians, numbers which have been maintained since 2001.  The base provides full-time search and rescue capabilities to the Newfoundland and Labrador region as well as providing a comprehensive Canadian Coast Guard radar facility.  A number of infrastructure upgrades have been identified by 9 Wing Gander as priorities, such as a new headquarters building and a hangar to house 103 Squadron.  The province will take every opportunity to impress upon the Government of Canada the importance of ensuring adequate infrastructure and staffing at military installations in Newfoundland and Labrador.

 

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Media contact:

Lesley Clarke

Communications Specialist

Intergovernmental Affairs

709-729-6026, 699-2910

lesleyclarke@gov.nl.ca

2008 06 18                                                        3:40 p.m.

 


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