Review of Canada’s defence policy

Aéro Montréal organizes a consultation session

Montréal, July 5, 2016 – Aéro Montréal, Québec’s aerospace cluster, today organized on its premises a consultation session for its members to enable them to share their views and produce a brief for Québec’s aerospace industry regarding the development of a new defence policy for Canada. This consultation session was held in the presence of Ms. Sherry Romanado, federal MP.

The July 5th event in Montréal is part of the Review of Canada's defence policy, an extensive Pan-Canadian public consultation launched by the Department of National Defence (DND) and which runs until July 31, 2016.

“Canada's defence procurement strategy needs to take into account the economic development of Canada and Québec,” says Suzanne Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal. “Québec has companies, OEMs, integrators and SMEs that have clear capacities for supplying the Canadian government with good or services to meet its needs in defence. Today's consultation allowed companies in our cluster to provide their opinions for improving the process of defence materiel procurement such that the Canadian Forces can obtain the equipment they need in a timely and transparent manner.”

The Department of National Defence has awarded more than 40,000 contracts annually for goods and services since 2009. “Québec is still not reaching its true potential when it comes to defence sector procurement,” says Ms. Benoît. “Our industry needs to be heard and this is why we welcome the Government of Canada’s initiative in organizing these consultations.”
The defence and security sector makes a direct and indirect contribution of $9.5 billion to Canada’s GDP, including $2.3 billion in Québec alone. The sector is also, by its nature, an important generator of quality jobs.

About Aéro Montréal
Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a strategic think tank that groups all major decision makers in Québec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, as well as associations and unions.
Aéro Montréal’s mission is to engage Québec's aerospace cluster with a view to increasing its growth and expansion on the global scene. Its vision is to become a benchmark in global aerospace. To this end, it champions the following values: excellence, commitment, collaboration, integrity, agility and boldness.
www.aeroMontréal.ca

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Gwenaël Brisé
Manager, Communications
Aéro Montréal
cell: 438 497-3857 | Off: 514 987-9395
gwenael.brise@aeroMontréal.ca