Mr. Speaker, first I must say to the member that, according to an article that I read, CAE will probably get about $20 to $30 million in spinoffs from Boeing.
Boeing is not only about aircraft. It also needs simulators. Granted, it is a large company. It is a large company and one of the largest aerospace multinationals in the world. Certainly applications made in Quebec could get into the Boeing constellation to bring about these contracts. Currently, Quebec companies are not given the opportunity to do so.
As for the alarmist talk that head offices and all aerospace companies will move out of Quebec following a “yes” vote, I think that this is false and I will explain why. One of Canada's best aerospace workforce is in Quebec. This is why the aerospace industry is concentrated in Quebec. In Quebec, there is the Canadian Space Agency, the Higher School of Technology and the Aerospace School in Saint-Hubert. Moreover, the aerospace critical mass is concentrated in the Montreal area.
It is not true that overnight these people will say that, since Quebec has become sovereign, they will move to China. Some are trying to settle in China and they have regrets, especially when they need a highly skilled workforce. I am quite indifferent to the alarmist talk of the hon. member. I do not think that this will happen. Quebec's critical mass must be respected. It is too bad that the Conservative government does not recognize this.