Thank you very much.
I offer my thanks to the committee for inviting me to meet with you. For just a couple of minutes, I'll provide some background on who I am.
I'm Jacques Bonaventure, director of business development for Centra Industries. We're an aerospace manufacturer based in Cambridge, Ontario. We are currently on our 19th consecutive year-over-year of profitable sales growth, a unique feat in manufacturing in Canada. We're very proud of that success.
Obviously, as an aerospace company we're an export-oriented company. I've been in this business for 35 years. To put things in perspective, I'm biased in the sense that I am an ex-Industry, Trade and Commerce person. I was part of the department in 1982 when there was a divorce, and trade went to External Affairs. Before that time, trade was with Industry Canada. I was almost a de facto trade commissioner, so I have a soft spot for the service.
As I said, I have been in this business for 30-some years, involved in manufacturing with various companies in Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, and I have lived in Belgium. I was in the aerospace sector, making extensive use of the trade commissioner service over the years. Some of these people have become friends of mine. They've been very supportive.
I'm basically here to state that for manufacturers in Canada, these people are doing a great job. I guess you'll be asking questions, but as you know, there are locally hired and rotational trade commissioners, who are professional DFAIT employees. I have opinions on both.
Those are my remarks for now. If you have any questions....
To provide some more background, I'm a professional accountant and I went through military college at RMC in Saint-Jean, Quebec.
Thank you very much.