Madam Chair, I do not know how the associate minister can say that the government accepts the conclusions of the Auditor General and then stand and say the government is in fact rejecting the conclusion of the Auditor General that a decision must be made. However, that is one decision point. There is another one, too.
I quote from the Canada first defence strategy which the parliamentary secretary was just referring to, that states:
Through this 20-year plan, based on a detailed assessment of requirements, the Government has committed to renewing the Forces' core equipment platforms.
These will preserve maximum flexibility in countering the range of threats facing Canada and include....
Fighters
Starting in 2017, 65 next-generation fighter aircraft to replace the existing fleet of CF-18s.
The only next generation fighter aircraft, according to the government, is the F-35.
Here we have yet another decision point of the government saying it is going to buy 65 of these jet fighters. Would the government please confirm that for me?