Okay, I'll get started immediately then.
This motion, discussed on Tuesday, is just moving to have an emergency meeting on the Super Hornets.
I want to preface by acknowledging that we're scheduled to discuss the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act today, and the reason I'm bringing this motion forward to the committee is that we have new information regarding Boeing and the Super Hornets that we believe substantially changes the conditions in which the Minister of National Defence made his proposal for a sole-source contract for the interim fleet of the 18 jets.
There is also an aspect of this issue that is touched upon with regard to public service disclosures, which does make this relevant to our current discussion.
Since agreeing to the proposed studies in the committee, numerous major issues have arisen in the three large procurement projects: Phoenix, and we heard more of that today in the news; shipbuilding; and now the Super Hornet acquisition, which this committee has an obligation to study. Each of these severely impacts our country, our economy, and our taxpayers.
We believe there has not been adequate debate in the House on these issues, nor have we resumed the studies of emerging situations past the initial meeting or two on these subjects.
That's why I am proposing today that we further study the procurement details surrounding the government's decision to sole-source 18 Super Hornet jets, given that the impact of this decision would be felt by the Canadian industry, our servicemen and women, and our defence capability for decades to come, or maybe just 12 years, as the minister recently wrote in response to an Order Paper question.
The conversation has been unclear and seemingly silent, so we don't know what the full answer is to the question. The fact is that we shouldn't have to rely—