Mr. Speaker, the opportunity for Canadian aerospace companies to bid on $12 billion will create thousands of jobs in this country.
With respect to the competition, yes there could be another competition, but let us listen to what the current assistant deputy minister for materiel at the Department of National Defence said. Dan Ross said, “Let's state the obvious”--and I know the obvious goes over the heads of the Liberals here--“you must have more than one viable supplier to have a competition, and there is only one fifth-generation fighter available”.
That is what Dan Ross said. I will take his word over that of the member opposite.