There is a long history of Flight Training at Southport and it is something Portage La Prairie is known for.

Approximately 80 percent of pilots trained in the Royal Canadian Air Force spend time at Southport honing their skills as aviators.  Here's Member of Parliament for Portage-Lisgar Candice Bergen.

"There has been word in the past year," says Bergen. "The DND (Department of National Defense) is going to be looking at ways to make the training more competitive, more efficient.  In doing that they are looking at different solutions.  I know I have been working very closely with the folks at Southport just to ensure that when DND makes its decision that they give Southport a fair and transparent opportunity to bid for this work."

Southport, which houses 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School is one of two primary training facilities for the RCAF along with 15 Wing Moose Jaw.  The concern arose because of a directive called the Future Aircrew Training Initiative, or FACT.  In it, one of the goals is to make operations as effective and efficient as possible.  One of the solutions being considered would be going to a single-base system where all training would be consolidated.

Bergen talks about what she is doing to make sure the RCAF stays in Southport.

"The work that I'm doing right now on the political level," adds Bergen. "I'm talking to colleagues in the House of Commons, and really trying to get people like Jim Carr (MP for Winnipeg South and Minister of Natural Resources) engaged in this, and helping him to see that this is really important -- not just to Portage la Prairie and the area Southport is in -- but to all of Manitoba."

There is no word yet on when the DND will make their decision on how to move forward.