Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. This is the Standing Committee on National Defence, meeting 24.
We are at the moment short one minister, the Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Peter MacKay. I understand he was to lead off, but we do have two other ministers here, and I'm sure they're quite able to do their presentations.
I'm going to make the ground rules clear so we understand what I'm expecting today. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), we are studying the next generation of fighter aircraft. That's what the topic is, and that's what we're going to be talking about. If you wander off into other areas, I'll drag you back.
Ministers will have seven minutes. I will notify the minister at six minutes to sum up. I'm hoping to get to three rounds today. Panel one will go from 9 until 11 o'clock. We have another panel that will go from 11 till 1 o'clock, and another panel from 2 until 4 o'clock.
I will give 10 minutes on the first round, five minutes on the second round, and five minutes on the third round. I assume we will have many questions.
This committee is for the members to ask their questions, so I'd like to see as many as we can. In the absence of our chairman, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, I will, as the vice-chair, take the committee today.
Welcome, Minister. Attendance was not taken, but absences were duly noted--but I'm glad you're here.
Minister, you have seven minutes. At six minutes I will intervene and let you know you have a minute to go, and then we'll go to the first round of 10 minutes.
Are there any questions?
As there are none, Minister MacKay, you have the floor.