Mr. Speaker, today is Space Day on the Hill. In 1962, the Alouette 1 marked Canada's entry into space. We built the Canadarm, which maintains the International Space Station, and now our Canadian space industry will launch a constellation of satellites that will monitor our sovereignty, environment, and climate change.
Innovation in space permeates our entire economy. From GPS to banking to cellphones, our daily lives rely on space-based assets. The space sector employs over 10,000 Canadians in high-quality jobs and creates over $5 billion in revenue. Canada is a leader in space technologies, and a new national space strategy will ensure that we do not lose our competitive edge in this important sector.
I thank the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada and all our leading-edge companies for making Canada a world leader in space technology today and in the future.
Join us tonight for our space reception.