Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
In the budget of two years ago, measures were announced regarding the downsizing of Canadian Forces Base Shearwater which resulted in the loss of about 700 jobs. Through perseverance and hard work that community has adjusted. However, new and unnamed DND sources are now being quoted in the media as saying that the Department of National Defence intends to com-
pletely close that base down this fall which would result in the loss of an additional 1,400 jobs.
I ask the minister to remove the anxiety these recent rumours have caused to that community by stating clearly that these latest rumours bear no relationship to the plans this government has for CFB Shearwater.