I am not a regular member of this committee--although I feel I am becoming one. As a matter of fact, I am only a substitute here. My regular committee is the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. I am here today because I am very interested in the Canadian Space Agency, its headquarters being in my riding of Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert. So, my questions will be a bit different.
I also want to apologize somewhat because I know--I am intelligent enough to know-- that you are playing in the highest spheres, if I may use that expression, of space exploration rather than in politics. In Saint-Hubert, we have enormous respect for the greatness, the usefulness and the complexity of your projects. We are really very proud of you. Everyone respects you on the South Shore.
Your head is in space but, of course, your feet are in Saint-Hubert, a region people call the “aéro” region because we have an “aéroport”, which we are very proud of, the École nationale d'aérotechnique, which produces aeronautics technicians, as well as Pratt & Whitney and a whole range of aerospace companies. We are very proud to have the Canadian Space Agency in our region.
That being said, the Agency has nearly no contact with the region. As an MP, I wrote to one of your predecessors--not Marc Garneau--who did not even bother to answer my letter. One day, the industry commissioner of the region, Jacques Spencer, wanted to communicate with the Canadian Space Agency. I invited him to Ottawa and introduced him to Marc Garneau who opened your door to him, Mr. McLean, for which I am very appreciative. Since then, his economic development project is running smoothly. However, you will understand that this is not a proper way to operate.
People of the region are very aware of the aerospace industry. There are all kinds of aerospace projects in the region. There are economic development projects but people would also like to have cultural development projects. We also have organizations promoting aerospace jobs, up to the job of astronaut, to our youth.
People in my riding would certainly scold me if I did not ask you a specific question. I do feel I have to ask you this: what do I have to do, as the MP for Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, to improve cooperation between the region and the Canadian Space Agency so that its leaders, or their representatives, educate themselves about what is happening in the region and take the time to tell us what they do? How can we get some cooperation?