Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning gentlemen.
Mr. Bain, you and I will get along quite well, because we share the same opinions. The Bloc Québécois will probably tell you that they introduced a motion in the House, and it was supported by the Liberal Party. When it was in power—and that day will come again—the Liberal Party believed in the regions and invested massively in the aeronautics industry.
My friend has a cold; he should drink some water. I am happy to see that he now believes in the regions, because he should have a word with Boeing's employee of the month, Maxime Bernier.
I might have one bit of criticism for your association. A year and a half ago, we told you that something would be happening and that there would be some problems. At the time, our industry critic, Mr. Jean Lapierre, had met with Ms. Dabrowski. We would have liked your association to take a firmer stand, because it was too late in reacting. The contracts are already signed, and we are at the mercy of foreign companies.
There is also a problem in Ontario. I met with the people from the Ontario association, and they agree with what you have said. I have no questions, but I simply wanted to make that comment. The Liberal Party, which could be the next government, is in a position to deliver the goods.
Mr. Simmons and Mr. Crisler, thank you very much for being here. You will understand, of course, that I have several questions, since you have your contract, and it was kind of a freebie because there was no competition.
I'm troubled a little bit. Maybe it's the best equipment. Our role in the opposition is of course to provide the best equipment for our forces, but when we hear statements like those of Mr. Coyle, when we hear statements from the Pentagon.... You're saying it's factual, and it's your job to say that, but I have a copy of the air force program saying that it's not efficient, that you have some major issues, and that maybe the equipment at the start is okay but the maintenance has some problems. Now it's relayed to you, since this government doesn't want to do its job, and you're the one that will provide the contracts to the others in Canada. I hope you will focus on R and D and Canadians.
What do you have to say about what the Pentagon was saying about your plane? Mr. Schmitz, the inspector general from the United States, said the same thing.
It was exactly the same thing when you had Rumsfeld. I think he's a friend of the armed forces and definitely wanted, in his own perspective, to provide the equipment to the air force. The guy wrote a letter himself saying that we should pull the plug on your company.
So would you explain to us what's going on? You're saying it's the best thing in the world since sliced bread, but why are there all those reports? Why are they saying there are some problems?
We have insiders in the department who, instead of having criteria, would rather trace a line in the sand and say we have four or five principles and that's it, go for it, enjoy yourself. Would you tell us what is really going on with that issue? Are they all wrong? Are you saying those reports are not accurate? The last one is from January 2007.
So it is rather early.
I don't understand why we have so many problems with that.
Don't you think, Mr. Chair, maybe the best thing would have been a competition, so that we could have had both make their pitch, and taxpayers would get more of what they deserve for their money.
What do you have to say about all those reports?