Thank you, Madam Chair.
Welcome, witnesses.
I'll start with you, Mr. Mueller. Let's talk more about the topic my colleague, Mr. Leitão, raised: the possibility of an industrial strategy for the aerospace and aeronautics sector.
We know that the government has a defence industrial strategy and that it's bearing fruit. We're seeing it back home in Mirabel, we're seeing it in Longueuil and we're seeing it in the cluster, that's for sure. However, for several years now, the industry, unions and the Bloc Québécois have been calling for an aerospace industrial strategy.
From what we understand, there are strong linkages between the civilian and military sectors. These products have long cycles, and these two sectors reinforce one other.
Sometimes, when we talk to the government, we're told that there's no need for an aerospace industrial strategy because there's already a defence strategy. The government points out that it awards contracts and grants. That's true, and I'm not suggesting that the current approach is bad. However, when we meet with industry people, they tell us that there is a need for an aerospace industrial strategy, especially since we're the only country in the world that can build a helicopter or a plane from start to finish but doesn't have such a strategy.
Can you explain to me how such a strategy would differ from a defence strategy?