Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to explain to the hon. member, as I did to his colleague over the last couple of days, that the assistance that we have provided in the regional jet project is not a handout to business. It is not a handout to a corporation. It is an investment in research and development, fully repayable out of royalties on sales of aircraft.
This hon. member is the member of his party on the industry committee. I think he understands the importance of trying to develop industries within this country that can succeed.
I remind him that the only high technology sector in which Canada at this moment wins a trade surplus is the aerospace industry.
I remind him that every other country in the world with an important aerospace sector is involved in it by state ownership, by defence procurement or by other measures.
I remind him that as we invest in aerospace in Canada, we will be repaid with jobs and growth. If he wants to have his finance critic stand up and talk about jobs, then I suggest to him that he understand what it takes to create jobs.