Mr. Speaker, the federal government's decision to close the Yukon weather station will have a detrimental effect on the Yukon economy and the safety of the northern travelling public. All that will be left of the federal government presence in the north will be a new but empty federal building with no workers to provide flood warnings, extreme weather warnings or aviation services.
The Yukon weather centre operates with 12 highly qualified people and has been in the north since 1942. In the middle of the national unity debate the federal government is telling us that its policy for the north is still one of downsizing and budget cuts and not one of a truly human relationship between the government and its people.
The federal government is more than happy to provide bonuses of $12 million to its top bureaucrats. That bonus would have kept the Yukon weather forecast station operating for another 10 years. It is time for this government to live up to the words of the throne speech and to keep the only northern forecast station in the north.