A caller to Open Line this morning chastised the Prime Minister for the failure over the past 15 months to declare Goose Bay operationally essential to the Canadian Forces.
This notion is merely a clever way of forcing the federal government to pour millions into Goose Bay without the base actually being operationally relevant to the Canadian Forces. It isn't now; there simply isn't the same strategic threat that existed during the Cold War, nor is there the operational need for ferrying aircraft that existed when the base was built in 1941.
The Canadian Forces has a surplus of bases to meet its needs and Goose Bay is a long way from being vital to the defence of Canada in the same way that other bases are. It certainly doesn't provide the broad training opportunities found at bases like Gagetown, either, at least not for a military force as small as the Canadian Forces.
Two news stories in the past months point to a potential role for Goose Bay that might work. Both stories focused on the use of Canadian bases for winter training and testing. One was about British Forces coming to Goose Bay to train in a winter environment they just can't get at home. The second was about testing of new British field radios in a harsh winter environment.
Goose Bay could easily become the Mountain and Winter Training Centre for the Canadian Forces. It would establish a small centre of expertise at Goose, affiliated with the Infantry and Engineering Schools at Gagetown. Goose Bay would become the focus of all trials and training for Canadian personnel and equipment in a northern environment. One of the biggest advantages of the centre would be the ability to attract allied military forces, including the US Army's 10 Mountain Division, the French Legion Etrangere, and the British Royal Marines and others to learn from the Canadian Forces including Canadian Rangers.
This idea isn't as big as declaring Goose Bay operational essential to the Canadian Forces. Nor would it provide the level of ongoing activity as low altitude flight training. It is, however, a workable idea and one that would generate revenue for the base and for the local community.