Please help us by taking 5 minutes to email your local MP about this petition! A draft email that you can cut and paste is given below. You can find your local MP's email address by going to this site:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/members
and entering your postal code. Then click on your MP's name. Once your MP's page is loaded, scroll down and click on the "Contact" tab to find your MP's email address.
Thank you for your continued support!
Draft Email to your Local MP Begins (adjust date, salutation and signature as appropriate):
[date]
Mr./Mrs./Ms. [full name], M.P.
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. [last name],
I am writing about the closing of the David Florida Laboratory (DFL), Canada's national space technology test facility, for budgetary reasons. DFL has been a critical component of the Canadian space sector for over 50 years. The facilities and unmatched capabilities at DFL are world renowned. DFL has been essential to economic stimulus in the Canadian space sector by creating opportunities to develop cutting edge space technology for those at home and internationally through exports. Canada's investment in DFL is money well spent, resulting in a 10 to 20-fold increase in economic activity that generates tax revenue in excess of the investment itself. DFL is a national treasure that must be protected -- it represents the kind of investment that Canadians expect from their government to promote jobs, wealth and global competitiveness. I ask the government to reconsider its decision to close DFL and keep it open as a universally accessible and impartial service provider to Canadian industry.
I am not alone in these sentiments. A petition to save DFL has gained nation-wide support with over 8,400 signatures in one month: www.change.org/Save-DFL-Now
It is clear that national capabilities like DFL are important to Canadians.
An essential role of government is to support the economy and to enable Canadians to be the best they can be. An essential role of industry is to increase Canadian prosperity and wealth through commercial success. These roles cannot be reversed. As a government funded lab, DFL has been a part of every major success story in the Canadian space sector since 1972. It is precisely because the lab is run by government that so many Canadian space companies and researchers have flourished instead of a limited few. It is precisely because DFL is devoid of commercial interest that it has continued to succeed as an industry facilitator for over 50 years. I personally know the importance of a strong economy, global competitiveness and technological dominance on the world stage. DFL is an essential ingredient for this in the Canadian space sector.
We, the Canadian people, appeal to you for help in reversing a decision that is very damaging to Canada and its economy. It has repercussions beyond the space sector. By asking you to help save DFL, we are also implicitly asking you to help prioritize key investments across all industries in Canada that stimulate the economy, protect supply chains and enable exports that otherwise would not be possible. This is one of the principal functions of government in service to the Canadian people.
Will you consult with Minister Champagne on this matter? What specific actions will you take to ensure that DFL remains open and available to Canadians, free of private interests, beyond the closure date of 31 March 2025? Please respond with answers to these important questions. Thank you in advance for your commitment to the Canadian economy.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[your name]
[your address]
[cc: other MPs, ministers, and organizations who also received this letter]