Mr. Speaker, I wish to offer my congratulations to the hon. member for his election to Parliament and also congratulate him on his remarks today.
The hon. member has asked the members of this assembly for advice with respect to the budget. I have many things I wish to offer in terms of revenue saving items. I do not have the time right now but will get them on the record later.
I have one question I would like to raise at this moment. On the budget considerations by the Minister of Finance, the minister of defence is considering closing certain military installations across the country.
CFB Moose Jaw which is now called 15 Wing has been in existence for many years. It has been there for very practical reasons, for example, the cloud-free skies, adjacent flat topography and a low population density to the south. These have contributed to the positive training and safety conditions of the base.
Would the hon. member join with me in making representations to the minister of defence to ensure that this facility remains intact for the benefit not only of our country but also for the province of Saskatchewan and for the military and residents in and near Moose Jaw?