Residents of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, in Newfoundland, are unhappy at the prospect of losing all British Department of Defence employees who are scheduled to leave the area in the spring of 2005.

Their withdrawal to the United Kingdom is due to recent budgetary cuts, and will bring to a close a fifty-year relationship between the RAF, the British Royal Air Force, and the people of Newfoundland.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay has served as a training area for the RAF since the 1950s. Other NATO air forces have also trained there, and their presence has been a boon to the local economy. Just last year the German and Dutch contingents announced their withdrawal.

The mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Leo Abbass, expressed his disappointment on hearing news of the latest planned departure.

"That will be a big blow to the business community here," he said. "The British families stationed here are involved in a number of organizations and make great contributions to the community."

The RAF will leave behind a multimillion-dollar hangar and several buildings.

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