First I want to say that I have great sympathy for the former Aveos workers. I think the way they lost their jobs was particularly brutal and abrupt, and I certainly understand their anger.
That being said, we did learn over the course of our meetings that following the Aveos bankruptcy several hundred jobs were created in other maintenance sites in Quebec, such as at Premier Aviation in Trois-Rivières and in Quebec City.
We also know that the agreement in principle between Air Canada and the Quebec government may create as many as a thousand new maintenance jobs, and also that a centre of excellence will be created.
If you combine those numbers, you can see that they go a good chunk of the way to making up for the close to 1,800 jobs that were lost in Quebec when Aveos went bankrupt. Very importantly, those jobs are created because it makes business sense for Air Canada to do so, rather than to have that done through legislative action. This is a more sustainable model.
I appreciate that my colleagues want to protect jobs. So do I; so do we, and so do Minister Garneau and our government.
Air Canada was privatized in 1989. Since that time, Air Canada has not always managed to be viable and able to prosper in a highly competitive global environment. We simply want to give Air Canada the opportunity to establish itself in a competitive position in a constantly evolving air industry where other carriers are not subject to similar requirements.
There is no specific urgency. It is just that the time is right because the governments of Quebec and Manitoba, as well as Air Canada, have decided to put an end to their legal proceedings. So the time has come to clarify and modernize the act so that this sector can become ever more competitive. All the witnesses we have heard from have clearly stated that they want a competitive aviation industry. With a competitive aviation industry, more jobs will surely be created.
As for the notes you requested from Minister Garneau, I just wanted to tell you that he appeared before the committee for an hour and you had the time to ask him all your questions.
Thank you.