Mr. Speaker, on May 2 I attended a supper in Grand Centre, Alberta to welcome a NATO delegation. They are studying the possibility of awarding a 20-year contract to Canada as NATO's flight training location. The other bidder is Texas and we are convinced that our program could beat it out by a country mile.
The project Target: Top Gun is a community based initiative in the tri-town area of Cold Lake, Grand Centre and 4 Wing Cold Lake. The government-industry team has focused on the military and economic benefits of training there. 4 Wing Cold Lake has some of the best training facilities in the world.
The special evening organized by Target: Top Gun was an excellent example of western hospitality. School kids decorated the entire area with handmade NATO country flags. The guests were treated to a fabulous supper of Alberta beef. It was a great display of unity and support.
Thanks to Gary Blanchard, chairman of the project, and his committee who did an excellent job of promoting our facilities. Congratulations, Target: Top Gun.