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Canada’s aerospace industry gathered all week as part of the “Virtual Week on the Hill,” to send a clear and loud message – the industry and its 235,000 employees need the government’s immediate attention. More than 700 participated in the week-long event that featured federal and provincial cabinet ministers, federal party leaders, Members of Parliament, Deputy Ministers, regional economic agency heads, and industry executives.
“Our industry appreciated the opportunity to put our case to Canada’s political leadership across all federal parties, along with their government officials,” said Jim Quick, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC).
“Because of the challenges the industry has experienced over the past 5 years, AIAC released our Vision 2025 report just over a year ago which outlined the urgent need for government action on six key recommendations. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation even more critical,” said Quick.
“As Canada’s leading national aerospace industry association, we are very proud to have brought such a tremendous line-up of industry and government leaders together. With a united industry voice, our message to government was clear: government support and a sector strategy are needed immediately. Our competitor countries have already developed plans to protect their aerospace industries and jobs, we need the same here in Canada,” added Mike Mueller, senior vice-president, AIAC.
The four-day virtual conference featured a line-up of interactive sessions with Canada’s leading federal and provincial decision-makers:
- Hon. Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
- Hon. Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence
- Hon. Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport
- Jagmeet Singh, Federal leader of the New Democratic Party
- Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of the Bloc Québécois
- The All-Party Parliamentary Aerospace Caucus: Yvan Baker, MP;
- Matt Jeneroux, MP; Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, MP; Alexandre Boulerice, MP and deputy leader of the NDP.
- Hon. Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Innovation and Economy, Government Quebec
- Hon. Victor Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Government of Ontario.
- Simon Kennedy, Deputy Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development in discussion with James Meddings, president, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario; Manon Brassard, president, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions; Francis P. McGuire, president, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and
- Justin Riemer, Assistant Deputy Minister – Alberta, Western Economic Diversification Canada
- Global Aerospace and Defence experts from Roland Berger
