Mr. Chair, the position of the government is that we have not signed any contract for the purchase of replacement aircraft. We have been clear that we have set a budget and we will work within that budget. A new secretariat is being established that will play the lead coordinating role as the government moves to make a decision to replace the aging CF-18s.
We will not proceed with any purchase until the seven-step action plan we have outlined is completed and developmental work is sufficiently advanced.