Mr. Speaker, in May the Conservative government promised there would be an open competition for Canada's next generation of fighter jets. Then over the summer, the Conservatives said it was not necessary. Then they said it had actually taken place in 2001, but in the United States.
Why is the Conservative government throwing the rule book, for fear of competition, out the window? Why would the government do it for Canada's largest military purchase, a $16-billion purchase, instead of trying to save taxpayers' money and ensuring industrial benefits for Canadians?