Industry committee  I'll let Mr. Gibbons answer for the airline, but there have been a number of programs targeted as well to the aerospace industry, not just the airline industry, and they usually go hand in hand. Those are very easily available. I don't think I need to go further into detail. I think that has been communicated already.

Industry committee  Anything that helps to get rid of old planes and replace them with new and more efficient ones is a good thing, I think.

Industry committee  I see the red card, so I will be very fast.

Industry committee  For me, there are two main things. Competitiveness we need to see increased, because we will see a lot of competitive pressure coming from all across the world again, and that's going to be one key element. The second one is obviously the sustainability of travel and the carbon footprint.

Industry committee  This brings us back to the previous question. We are indeed in a global environment where cycles are long. Broadly speaking, the lack of support for the Canadian industry is certainly not an encouraging factor for the development of Airbus in Canada in particular. That said, I would still remind you that, despite the crisis, as an example, we decided to launch the business version of the A220.

Industry committee  I think the signal the government is sending is a very dangerous one, with potentially long-term consequences for Canada. As I said, the aerospace sector, especially on the commercial side, is a global industry, so when large orders come in, they trigger a global supply chain. Contract givers prefer to deal with places that support the aerospace sector and see its strategic importance.

Industry committee  I assume you are referring to the decreased R and D in Canada.

Industry committee  First, you have to realize that, in terms of the R and D spend overall in the aerospace activities, at least for commercial aircraft, it's actually been the opposite. There's been quite an acceleration of R and D with new development programs. I would say that the two main contributors are Boeing and Airbus, with the development of the 787 on one hand, the A350 on the other hand, and then the MAX in the news and so on.

Industry committee  I think there are several things. First, we need to somehow rehabilitate the aerospace sector in front of the students, the general public, and to remind them it is a high-tech industry. It's not only a low-tech industry. There is a lot of hype about digital. You find a lot of digital activities in the airplane, and I think we need to pass that message around that it is not a 20th century activity, that it is a 21st century activity.

Industry committee  Already? I will conclude.

Industry committee  It goes fast. In conclusion, aerospace is one of the sectors impacted most by the crisis. Everywhere in the world there are specific measures that are complementing general measures in order to support this strategic industry. It's a global, high-technology industry and the lack of specific support to Canadian aerospace today is very visible, very surprising, and is sending a signal.

Industry committee  Madam Chair and members of the committee, good morning. I am very pleased to be here today, on behalf of Airbus Canada. You'll be hearing from colleagues of mine later. My remarks will focus on the A220 program and related operations. I'm going to start with a bit of background on Airbus.