Thank you very much, Chair.
We certainly welcome all of our witnesses here today.
I have just a quick little commendation and then a question to the Auditor General.
I live right next to 8 Wing Trenton, and might I just say, on the C-17s and the Hercules 130Js, congratulations to National Defence and to Public Works. The process, speed, and timeliness were magnificent. I have talked to air crews. I've talked to ground handlers. I've talked to people coming in off relief missions. Truly, you should all be proud of what you've accomplished there, because it's a tremendous asset for our country and our region.
Madam Fraser, I have a very serious concern. There's something that bothers me in this report, your statement here, and maybe an implication thereof. In your report you said DND underestimated and understated the developmental nature of the Cyclone and the desired modifications to the Chinook. And then in fact you went on to say that DND “did not intend to procure an off-the-shelf Chinook but rather a modified one”.
Maybe I'm reading between the lines here, but to me it suggests you were implying that the departmental officials deliberately withheld information. Is that correct? If so, could you please explain to the committee how you reached that conclusion?