The Meteorological Service of Canada MSC has a history stretching back over 130 years. By constantly adapting to keep pace with technological evolution, it has met the increasing needs of Canadians for weather information over that time period. It is a respected member of the World Meteorological Organization of the United Nations and a core of government service to Canadians.
Publicly funded national weather services such as the MSC provide meteorological services to citizens through a network of public and private sector organizations. In Canada, the MSC serves as the backbone of this national network. These national weather services develop and manage large scale monitoring networks, satellite and telecommunications systems, certain critical science and modelling work, data management and communication and dissemination functions for which no other public, private or academic partner has the mandate, expertise or resources.
The $75 million investment announced March 13, 2003 will allow the MSC to improve its services to all Canadians. We are not downsizing our organization, for we are keeping all of our staff, recruiting new staff and opening focused service offices, such as the one in Gander, to ensure that we are providing the needed products and services.
With respect to (a), no jobs will be lost. We are keeping all of our staff, though some employees will be relocated.
With respect to (b) and (c), the MSC operates a national program with offices distributed across the country in a manner which takes advantage of science and technology opportunities to guarantee the best service and products for all Canadians. The relocation of the forecasting functions currently in Gander is in response to such opportunities. Since the citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador will continue to receive their weather information and services with the quality to which they have become accustomed, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador was not notified of this decision prior to its announcement: it is an internal re-organization.