Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be here to have a conversation about a question I asked regarding Nav Canada and the possibility that the air control tower at the Regina International Airport may cease to exist in the not-too-distant future. This is a very important conversation for the people of Saskatchewan, southwest Saskatchewan and Regina. I look forward to getting an answer from the member for Winnipeg North. I hope he does not just read speaking points and that we have a dialogue, a conversation between two parliamentarians about something that is very important for not only Saskatchewan but western Canadians.
I was able to have a conversation with not only the member for Winnipeg North but also the Minister of Transport. I asked a question, and the response I got was not really favourable to the people of Regina—Lewvan. Regina International Airport is in the heart of Regina—Lewvan, and it is very important to ensure that, when we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, flights can come in and out safely. It will be a big part of our economic recovery when we see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I have had conversations with representatives from Nav Canada, and they talked about the complexity of flights that come into our air zone. One thing we need to take into account when it comes to having an air traffic control tower is that 15 Wing Moose Jaw, the training base for the RCAF, is in the same air zone as Regina. For complex flights, we want to keep our military pilots safe. There are flights coming into that air zone that are going 600 to 900 kilometres per hour, so it is a very complex situation. We need professional people at the control tower to make sure that our military personnel are safe.
Also, as I am sure the member for Winnipeg North would know, we have the world-famous Snowbirds at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, which fly out of Moose Jaw. They can take up the same airspace as the international airport in Regina. Therefore, the safety of all these complex flights should be taken into account when we are having this conversation.
When it comes down to it, Regina is also a provincial capital. If we did not have an air traffic control tower in Regina, it would be the only provincial capital in the country that did not have safety measures in place. I think that sends a signal to people, not only in Regina and Saskatchewan but in western Canada. A provincial capital that does not have an air traffic control tower sends the wrong signal.
I remember as clear as day on election night when the Prime Minister said that he heard what western Canadians were saying. He said he was going to be there to make sure their concerns were heard, but we have not seen that in the last year.
For this one reason, I think it is time for the Liberal government to step up and assure western Canadians that the safety and complexity of all these flights in the Regina International Airport's airspace are taken into consideration. For once I hope the government is listening to western Canadians and will take the complexity and safety of our Snowbirds, our Royal Canadian Air Force and all of the pilots at 15 Wing Moose Jaw into consideration when it makes these decisions.