Mr. Speaker, I do work with my hon. colleague on the defence committee and, by and large, we have a pretty good working relationship and we get things done. However, I do need to challenge him on a couple of things.
First, I want it to be clear that the amount of money we are talking about really starts in 2015-16, not today, and it is spread over a period of 20 years.
The $3.2 billion that members keep talking about that we would save if we had a competition is a complete fantasy number pulled out of the air by someone who used to be the ADM of materiel five years ago, rather than listening to the person who has been the ADM of materiel for the past five years who is currently working with the MOU and all the allies and, frankly, has much more credibility.
The member also talked about sole sourcing. In 2004, we were not at war like we are today. Arguably, we were at war with Volkswagen jeeps, which is the kind of equipment that the Paul Martin government and the Chrétien government before him had equipped us with. When a country is at war, there is a certain urgency for equipment requirements for safety on the battlefield. That is what we have been providing and that is one of the reasons for sole sourcing.
I would like to challenge the member on that $3.2 billion. Where is the justification for that, other than somebody's opinion?