Mr. Speaker, on August 11 Bombardier made an official announcement of the construction of its new plant in the Montreal foreign trade zone at Mirabel, which is in my riding.
This is excellent news, since it will create 1,700 jobs in the Mirabel region, and investments of some $170 million. Assembly operations for the CRJ900, Bombardier's new 90-seat aircraft, and of the CRJ700, its 70-seat model, are expected to begin next spring.
Bombardier's location in Mirabel's foreign trade zone is the direct outcome of the recommendations of the Tardif Commission on the development of Mirabel airport.
I must therefore thank the government of Quebec for its involvement in this matter. It will be recalled that the foreign trade zone was created in response to the flagrant lack of action by the federal government.