Mahsi. Mr. Speaker. I must say that I am disappointed because of the announcement yesterday that the aircraft maintenance facility is to go to Fort Smith rather than to Fort Simpson. The reason I say that is because I was hoping to be given an opportunity to try to get this facility located in Fort Simpson. All I was asking for was a fair chance.
The reason for that is that I think the study the decision was based on is shallow and it does not give Fort Simpson fair consideration. I say this because the value of such a facility is $7.3 million and 15 permanent jobs which are not government positions, and it does not exist in the government system at all at this present time. The spinoff and net effect would greatly revive any regional economy. There are numerous economic benefits that would greatly benefit any community.
I think Fort Simpson is a prime location. I have talked to many government officials who travel to Simpson, and they think it is a very good place. I think it was a prime location since six per cent of the marketable forest in the NWT is right in our back yard, and an aircraft maintenance facility services aircraft that fight fires.
The policy to decentralize, I think, is to spread economic benefits to communities known as emerging market communities. I think Fort Smith already has a lot of things like Arctic College, women's corrections, youth facilities and fire operations. The emerging market communities need permanent government programs to ensure a sound economic base. It is like building any facility in the North and trying to find an anchor tenant that would guarantee that you would
meet your mortgage, a long-term guarantee. It is the same thing on a larger scale in the communities. I am saying that on behalf of most of the smaller communities that aspire to develop their economy.