Good afternoon, Mr. van Wachem. I am a member from the Quebec region, from the south shore, near Lévis. In my family, we've worked in the shipyards. My father and some of my uncles worked for Davie Shipyards. My father is now 90 years old. I am therefore well aware of the peaks and valleys this sector has been through in the last 60 years.
What you are saying is very interesting. Through the use of reserved contracts, how could... What message would you have sent to Public Works or to the government to help SMEs obtain contracts?
Over the past 20 years, Canada seems to have had difficulty being competitive in the global shipbuilding markets, as regards certain ships. I believe that in the future, the sector will recover thanks to new technologies, the quality of our workforce, government support, and the abundant availability in Canada of raw materials such as steel, which is used in shipbuilding.
What can you do to help your sector?