Greens Get Real on Defence
By Lori-Ann Martino
For Immediate Release : May 20th, 2005
From : Green Party of Canada in Newfoundland and Labrador
"The Liberal minority government may have survived yesterday's confidence vote, but it will remain on life support until the May 24th by-election in Labrador" states Green Party spokesperson Lori-Ann Martino, official agent to Green candidate Mr. Jason Crummey. "And one of the key issues that may affect the outcome is the future of 5-Wing Goose Bay."
"One of the reasons why the airbase has been slated for closure is because the training needs of NATO forces have changed, while Labrador lacks a solid political strategy for upgrading 5-Wing's infrastructure to suit those needs. What is worse for the people of this community, severe environmental contamination issues on 5-Wing's grounds would likely prevent any quick development of the infrastructure for any other civilian economy in the region. What 5-Wing needs is a new mission." Martino concludes.
"At this moment, a conflict intervention in Darfour region of Sudan is underway. Retired General and Liberal Senator Romeo D'Allaire, who led UN forces in Rwanda during the genocide there, describes 'intelligence, mapping and satellite' supports as the difference between the success of these interventions, and arriving only after the worst of the horror has occurred, says Martino.
"Overall, the Green Party of Canada rejects any increase to training operations at 5-Wing Goose Bay that involve further degradation of the surrounding natural environment. However, total employment at 5-Wing need not decline, as it has the base of skills in signals, satellite and mapping required to assist directly in the type of mission that D'Allaire advocates in Darfour, where Canadian officers would act in support of African Union troops with the integration of local signals and remote satellite and map signals as a key competence. 5-Wing could actually provide an ongoing training ground for rapid reaction tactics and technology suitable for genocide prevention, peacemaking, establishing civilian rule in failed states, and improving government emergency response capabilities in all countries." Martino explains.
"Meanwhile, the World Bank has financial programs for post-conflict restructuring and rebuilding, starting with signal infrastructure. As such, the Green Party proposes that all Canadian political parties take steps to adopt D'Allaire's conflict resolution model, in consultation with NATO forces, and make a case for Labrador being a recipient of World Bank funding, establishing 5-Wing Goose Bay as a crucial site in what the World Bank calls 'post-conflict sequencing' while simultaneously lending more financial and political support to an environmental clean-up."
"The Greens call on Conservative candidate Graham Letto, Liberal candidate Todd Russell, NDP candidate Frances Fry, independent MP David Kilgour (who has been vocal that the intervention in Darfour is insufficient), NL Premier Danny Williams, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Anne McClellan and Minister of Defense Bill Graham, to endorse this proposal. We hope voters will partly base their May 24th decision on these candidates and representatives demonstrated willingness to explore a rational vision of human security and for 5-Wing to find its role in this vision.
For a more detailed account of the Green Party's proposal for 5-Wing Goose Bay contact Green Party headquarters at 709-753-1409.
