I rose during Adjournment Proceedings in Parliament yesterday to demand a more fulsome answer to the question I recently posed in Question Period asking the government to protect aerospace jobs in the Ottawa Valley.
“Earlier this month, I asked the Minister of National Defence an important question regarding Canadian jobs, procurement and protecting the lives of our women and men in uniform. Canada’s aerospace industry and its value chain contribute more than $20 billion in GDP and 160,000 jobs to the Canadian economy annually. In my Ottawa Valley riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, Arnprior Aerospace is a leading aerospace manufacturer. It has the capacity and skill sets to supply quality products to companies like Boeing and others.”
“Arnprior Aerospace is a world leader in aerospace. It is a good source of jobs in my riding. As the government considers bids from companies, including Boeing, for the fighter jet contract, the Liberal government needs to send a clear, unambiguous signal to all fighter jet bidders that any company that takes business out of Canada, or uses the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to shut down jobs in Canada, will not be considered for this nearly $20 billion contract.”
“As the Canadian government considers bids for the next generation of fighter jets, the Prime Minister needs to stand up for Canadian jobs. Canadian workers and taxpayers want the government to publicly commit to disqualifying bidders that take business away from Canadian companies like Arnprior Aerospace during these difficult economic times. Canadian taxpayers are opposed to funding manufacturing jobs in Mexico or elsewhere, which is what some fighter jet aircraft bidders will do unless they are told no.”
Watch the full speech online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0n6VfBciyI