Mr. Speaker, I will put my notes to the side and make it a discussion more so than a speech. I assure the member I will take the time to raise the issue with the minister. I do not say that lightly.
I spent a few years in Saskatchewan in my younger days. In fact, I am very familiar with the Snowbirds as I went to the air show in Moose Jaw. I am also very much familiar with air traffic control because I was actually a member of the Canadian Forces and I was an air traffic control assistant. I worked out of the tower in Lancaster Park, which had the longest runway at 14,000 feet. The space shuttle could land there, which is something I have reminded the current minister of. I also have family who live in Regina. Go Riders. We all love the Riders.
We understand the importance that airports play in our communities, whether they are the smaller airports we see scattered throughout the Prairies, the ones in larger centres like Regina or our international airports such as the Calgary airport. I am sure my friend has been to the Calgary airport. It is a massive and growing airport. We have different types of airports that provide all sorts of services. I understand the importance of towers. I also understand the importance of issues, having worked on radar, air zones and so forth. Safety is important.
Nav Canada has a high level of expertise that I do not have and I suspect the member opposite might not necessarily have. That is why it is important we get that good understanding. If there is something that can be done that is practical, I assure the member we are listening and very much interested in what we can do to further the cause.
One of the nice things that just came out in the budget presentation, the mini-budget, was the idea that we need to have a prairie investment fund. I see that as a sign to the Prairies that the government is very much concerned that all three beautiful Prairie provinces, and I have lived in all three, get the attention they need. I understand personally the importance of our airports and towers.
I will take the member's comments and at some point have that discussion. I do not know when, but I will have that discussion with the minister.