National Defence committee  Providing you can prove that, yes.

National Defence committee  Are we done already?

National Defence committee  Okay.

National Defence committee  I enjoyed it. Thank you.

National Defence committee  It was a pleasure.

National Defence committee  I think the key for me is that when you're spending billions of dollars there's a higher-ground moral, ethical, and integrity issue here. I cannot see any reason that we don't do this kind of business that is so important to the country in terms of jobs in an open, fair, and transparent way.

National Defence committee  Absolutely.

National Defence committee  No, they are not. I said they leave themselves open to those kinds of questions and challenges when you don't do things openly.

National Defence committee  Not to me. I think you're reading things into it that I didn't intend.

National Defence committee  Let me make this one point. I've made it before, but maybe not as clearly as—

National Defence committee  I think it's very important to keep accountabilities clear. The military defines requirements, and the civilians are the ones who act in.... These include the deputy minister, the minister, the ADM Materiel. The civilian side has to be able to take those requirements, challenge them effectively, make sure there is nothing untoward, and make sure before it goes public that everything is in fact scrutinized and makes sense and is reasonable.

National Defence committee  I'm not saying that. First of all, I agree with you in terms of the internal delays in giving us the go-ahead to replace the Sea King. I thought that was totally unconscionable, frankly. But I'm not suggesting what you're suggesting. I'm simply saying there is nothing to stop us tomorrow from doing an open and fair competition and knowing within a year whether this is in fact the best aircraft.

National Defence committee  All I know is I'm pointing at specific clauses. If they have different views, let them point to the clauses that contradict this, yes.

National Defence committee  Absolutely not, to the contrary.

National Defence committee  No. I was very clear with my words. What I said was--