Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Government of Canada, through their national airports policy, is significantly downgrading services to airports operated by Transport Canada throughout the country by disposing of federally-owned airports to regional and municipal airport authorities. Our government, through the Department of Transportation, is
actively involved in negotiating the transfer of the nine Arctic A airports from Transport Canada.
There are four communities targeted for closure in the 1995-96 fiscal year: Cambridge Bay, Hay River, Fort Simpson and Fort Smith. There will be a loss of approximately 24 full-time positions in these communities. The hamlet council of Cambridge Bay and I have been requesting the Honourable John Todd, Minister of Transportation, to establish a community aerodrome radio station known as CARS in lieu of eliminating the flight service stations.
The establishment of the CARS program will result in retaining some employment in the community but, most importantly, will provide a dependable human component to the aircraft advisory service that cannot be performed by an automated system. The airline industry is apprehensive about the establishment of a CAATS system in our northern environment where reliable, up-to-date weather and operating conditions are critical to their operations.
Although Cambridge Bay, Hay River, Fort Smith and Fort Simpson are planned for phase-out next year, when will the remaining communities with flight service stations be phased out? Our communities cannot afford to lose the staff positions or the air support services currently offered by Transport Canada. Our government must intervene to ensure that adequate levels of employment and flight support services are provided within communities currently designated for phase-out by Transport Canada.
Madam Speaker, once again, the government of Canada is arbitrarily cutting back services to the NWT which directly affects services to our constituents. Although it may be inevitable, given the fiscal situation in Canada, our government must interject now to minimize the disruption and impact in our communities. Thank you.
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