Thank you.
We feel it is very important to hold discussions with industry representatives. That is why people from my department, representatives from the Canadian aerospace and defence sectors, as well as myself, drew up a list of the nine technologies that were key for these sectors. There were areas such as space, communication systems, etc.
For both the aerospace and defence industries, these technologies are important for the future. Aerospace stakeholders have to be on the cutting-edge technologically in order to be competitive and to be able to obtain international contracts. This is the first time that we established with the industry criteria that would ensure that the benefits would be real, advantageous, and of a high-quality for the whole aerospace industry.
As I said earlier, Boeing will be making announcements over the next few weeks about these contracts. As you know, these are private contracts, that is, they are contracts between Boeing and its suppliers. I'm sure my colleagues will be very appreciative of these announcements because they will reflect the diversity of our industry and the size of our country. Boeing deals with suppliers in Quebec, as well as in Manitoba and Western Canada.
Boeing is very familiar with its suppliers in this country. The benefits will allow Canadian industry to position itself. That should also be the case for the Quebec industry, which is important. In terms of the contracts and business opportunities that Boeing will generate through its industrial benefits, I am confident in the Canadian aerospace industry's capacity for positioning itself and for being globally competitive.
I am not pessimistic about Quebec's aerospace industry's future. Contrary to my colleague from the Bloc Québécois, I am very optimistic and I believe that these companies will continue to prosper internationally, especially due to our military purchases. That financial contribution of more than $12.6 billion over several years represents a solid commitment to our armed forces, but it also represents a solid commitment to the Canadian aerospace industry.