Defence Minister dodges media but meets with mayor

Mayor Victor Fedeli and Deputy Mayor Peter Chirico take a moment to pose with Defence Minister Peter MacKay in front of the weather-worn City flag that spent 6 months in Afghanistan. Photo provided by Vic Fedeli.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay was in North Bay Wednesday and made no time to talk with area media outlets, but he did take time out to meet with Mayor Victor Fedeli and Deputy Mayor Peter Chirico.

In an email to BayToday Fedeli says he and Chirico thanked the McKay for the federal government's stimulus funding and pointed out all the projects being done in the city, including road work, and much-needed infrastructure upgrades.

The trio also discussed the mayors's plan to use the former underground NORAD site as a data storage site. Fedeli says a meeting in Ottawa is in the works where the Minister's staff will open discussions about the future of the facility. Fedeli says he sees the meeting as a major move forward for North Bay and that he plans to make a real solid pitch for the concept of developing the world's most secure data facility.