National Defence Committee on Feb. 20th, 2007

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

You cannot tell us that?

[Michael Fortier]

Absolutely not.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Nevertheless, according to what you said, you are in charge of negotiating and signing contracts. When you sign this kind of contract, are you not responsible for ensuring the spinoffs? Otherwise, it is as if you gave Boeing the responsibility of influencing Canada's aerospace policy.

[Michael Fortier]

Mr. Crête, you are mixing things up. I am responsible for signing contracts whereby the state acquires goods and services. Other contracts are settled between foreign manufacturers and their network of providers in Canada.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

But when you—

[Michael Fortier]

The state has nothing to do with that.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

You are in no way sure that there will be spinoffs from this contract. You have entrusted a private company with $3.4 billion and the task of creating spinoffs. Do you not think that this might be highly destabilizing? Boeing has plants in Ontario and in the west of Canada, which is not bad in itself, but do you not think that the spinoffs might not be fairly shared? I am astounded by the fact that several weeks after the press release, you cannot give us the figures regarding this.

[Michael Fortier]

You are wrong in saying that we had not seen which regions would benefit from the spinoffs. Canada will benefit from them, and this is a great step forward. This was never done previously. Every dollar will be reinvested in Canada, Mr. Crête. If I were you, I would wait—

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

It should be profitable for Canada at the very least.

[Michael Fortier]

You said that we had not chosen the region. We required the work to be done by Canada's aerospace industry.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

In your opinion, is Canada a region?

[Michael Fortier]

Let me finish.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

In your opinion, is Canada a region?

[Michael Fortier]

Let us take one question at a time. You are already four questions down the road and you are not listening to the answers.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

You are not paying attention.

[Michael Fortier]

This is my answer: the investments will be made in Canada, in the aerospace industry. I think that this is specific enough: one industry, in one country.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

However, you cannot tell me how this $3.4 billion contract will be shared out among Canada's provinces.

[Michael Fortier]

You will find out when Boeing signs its agreements with the suppliers, Mr. Crête.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

You have entrusted Boeing with $3.4 billion and you have also decided to entrust them with the sharing out of the spinoffs. You awarded the contract without any invitation to tender. You have the upper hand. So, you told these people that we were giving them $3.4 billion, without a call for tenders, and that in return, we expect nothing from them when it comes to sharing out the spinoffs in Canada.

[Michael Fortier]

Mr. Crête—

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Do you not think that this shows a lack of responsibility towards the Quebec aerospace industry?

[Michael Fortier]

Mr. Crête, you are wrong in saying that there was no call for tenders. A contract award notice is an invitation to tender. You should learn to understand the terms.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Were both companies able to tender a project and meet the production limit?

[Michael Fortier]

We are not dealing with two companies. There could have been 75 of them.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Really?