Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to the ministers and to our guests.
My first question is directed to Minister MacKay. It came as a shock to me, I have to say, when the announcement was made in July, because I have your statement, Minister, in the House of Commons on May 27 at the estimates committee, where you say, and I am quoting from Hansard: This has been a magnificent aircraft. This next generation fighter, again, will be an open, competitive, transparent process that will see us receive the best capability, to provide that capability to the best pilots in the world.Later, to clarify in case there was any misunderstanding, you said:I just want to be very clear on the record that the reference to the next generation of fighter aircraft does not preclude a competition, and an open and transparent one.
Sir, in light of those statements and the later decision, I wonder what Canadians should make of this, in terms of your word and your commitment to the people of Canada and in terms of accountability and responsible purchasing when it comes to a decision to sole-source these contracts without any knowledge of what the full life-cycle costs would be.