No offence to the member, Mr. Speaker, but that is a wandering type of question.
To be serious for a moment about an incursion by the Soviet Union, now Russia, and the capabilities they have, no matter what kind of airplane they have in the air, 15 minutes after that missile is warmed up, it is going to be visiting us in downtown Ottawa. To be very clear, we do need to have an air defence system with the capacity to protect our country.
Our concern, as a party, was the method with which these aircraft were ordered. They were ordered in a single-source type of venture. There should have been discussion in this House. It should have gone to committees of this House. We should have had the input of our generals, who clearly, from the freedom of information we read today, were expecting to have the posting for the sale and purchase of these particular aircraft. We have $16 billion. If we had bought half, we would have $8 billion to do something for seniors and other people.
Coming to the point of fear, the government relies on the fear of Canadians, unfortunately. We see it on many fronts. The Conservatives were not so concerned about it that they could prevent themselves from proroguing the House twice.