Madam Speaker, I find that question to be very reasonable. There is a very significant difference between myself and the other member because I look at the aerospace sector and the procurement of any of these armaments, be they tanks or helicopters, as being dollars spent by Canadian taxpayers, whereas the procurement of an automobile is dollars spent by a consumer.
I also contest and simply do not accept the concept that Canadians directly invested dollars in General Motors or the Ford plant. These are multinational corporations that have their own investers and their own ability to borrow. While from time to time they have depended on ill-thought programs the various old line governments have come forward with, the reality is that the dollars that are being invested are not only being invested by the multinational corporations but are being raised by multinational corporations.
I have a very significant difference of opinion with the other member. To underline the major difference I just spoke about, the dollars being spent on the procurement of equipment for our armed forces are Canadian taxpayers' dollars. The dollars being spent for the procurement of an automobile are being spent by the consumer.