Mr. Speaker, we heard from the Boeing representatives and we heard from the French manufacturers of the Rafale. They said that they fully believed they could deliver a competitive product and meet the needs of Canada. They felt they were left out of the loop, that they were not even spoken to and that they did not get the attention they would have expected if there was to be an open competition. This speaks to the motion before us. If there is to be a choice, and obviously a choice has to be made, it should be based on a level playing field, where those in the business have an opportunity to compete.
One of the things I find disturbing is we have been told there cannot be a competition without getting out of the MOU. That was part of the approach the government used to fend off the suggestion that there could be a competition. This is not the case. We can still have a competition. We can still ask others to come forward with their projects and the decision can be made on what is the best choice for Canada without getting out of the MOU.