Madam Speaker, on this 95th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, I am rising to honour the tremendous service and sacrifice of its great women and men. Through two world wars, they have and continue to play a crucial role in defending Canada, our sovereignty and our international security.
At home, these women and men protect our air space through NORAD and conduct vital search and rescue operations. On the world stage, they support NATO operations via air policing missions in Romania. They contribute to international peacekeeping with our helicopters in Mali.
On this anniversary, I also want to highlight our commitment to modernizing the Royal Canadian Air Force. We are acquiring 88 modern fighter jets to replace the CF-18 fleet through an open and transparent competition, something the Conservatives could not do in 10 years. This competition will ensure that we get the right aircraft for our air force, and at the right price, while creating job opportunities for Canada's middle class and those working hard to join it.