BATUS rumours reach legislature floor
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on December 1, 2021.
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews Alberta cabinet ministers say the potential of tank training pulling out of British Army Training Unit Suffield is being over blown and that the opposition is scaremongering. Alberta New Democrat MLA Nicole Goehring raised the issue during question period on Monday, saying the UCP government needs to get ahead of the issue and plan to help southeast Alberta brace for the economic hit if battle group training is cancelled. “Businesses are concerned about what the impact of a potential scale-down could mean to them and their local economy,” she said. “Will the minister present a plan by the end of this week, or should small businesses expect more radio silence on this impending crisis?” Finance Minister Travis Toews responded to an earlier question from Goehring that action of the United Conservatives would mean more jobs for “every community, including Medicine Hat.” “I believe the issue (at CFB Suffield) is being overstated at this point,” said Toews. House leader Jason Nixon initially said the Brooks-Medicine Hat riding was well-represented by government MLA Michaela Frey, and Justice Minister Kaycee Madu also entered the debate. “There is no iota of truth to this particular story,” said Madu, adding the military presence was valued, but a responsibility of the federal government. “We will work with them to ensure training doesn’t go anywhere.” The News was first to report in 2020 on the potential effects of changes to British military study on the use and need for armour in modern warfare. That “integrated review” concluded that heavy tanks should be upgraded, but fewer would be maintained. The training regimen and the use of a network of global bases are now in flux. Last week, UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace denied media reports that his country’s operations at CFB Suffield would end after 50 years, but warned that changes were coming. A move to increase presence in the Middle East and Africa could mean fewer battle groups to Medicine Hat area each summer, and fewer permanent staff to support them. Goehring, the MLA for Edmonton-Castle Downs, said she was aware of British plans as stated, but any scale-down of training would have repercussions. She called on provincial officials to contact mayors of nearby communities to ascertain the impact. “When that base is fully operational, there is a cycle of thousands of soldiers arriving for training, and a reduction of troop levels will hit the Medicine Hat economy hard,” she said. 16-15
