Mr. Speaker, let me say this. The Government of Canada, when the hon. member opposite was a member of the cabinet, spent some $170 million in the development of this very same aircraft. It would seem rather strange that we would spend literally $170 million and then change our minds and go with a different plane.
This is the only option on the table, the only fifth generation stealth fighter. It is the same plane which 10 of our closest allies are purchasing. The American government has put a significant amount of money into the development of this plane. We believe that our men and women in uniform need this plane to do the job after 2020, when the logical lifespan of the CF-18s expires.