News
Government delivering jobs for Saint-Laurent

Oct. 20, 2010, Saint-Laurent, Que. – The Honourable Tony Clement,
Minister of Industry, today visited Esterline CMC Electronics Inc., an
aerospace supplier that is manufacturing optical transceivers that
offer secure data transmission and weight savings on board the F-35
Lightning II aircraft as part of contracts awarded under the Joint
Strike Fighter (JSF) program.

Minister Clement highlighted the economic benefits being created in Saint-Laurent as a result of Canada’s participation in the JSF program — the single largest fighter aircraft program in history.

“Our participation in the Joint Strike Fighter program is about equipping our military for mission success and increasing the odds that our men and women in uniform will return home safely from these missions,” said Minister Clement. “At the same time, we are pleased that our involvement will provide lucrative, long-term, global opportunities to our world-class aerospace industry.”

The economic benefits of this program are already being realized across Canada, from Vancouver to Halifax and many communities in between, including Saint-Laurent. This investment is needed now to ensure the long-term strength of our world-class aerospace industry.

The JSF program provides an unprecedented opportunity for Canadian firms such as Esterline CMC Electronics to take part in the global supply chains that will define the aerospace and defence sectors for the next 40 years. Canada joined the program in 1997 in anticipation of the Canadian Forces’ need to replace its current fleet of CF‑18s. To date, Canada has invested approximately $168 million in the JSF program; since 2002, this investment has led to more than $350 million in contracts with more than 60 Canadian companies, research laboratories and universities.

Through the JSF program, Canadian companies will be guaranteed access to competitive opportunities in the JSF partnership, including an estimated $12 billion in potential industrial opportunities for work on the aircraft platform. Purchasing the F‑35 aircraft now ensures that Canadian companies can access high-value, long-term JSF work by allowing them enough lead time to ramp up for the production, sustainment and follow-on development phases of the program.

The development of the F-35 is the largest cooperative program of its kind since
World War II. This United States–led partnership includes Canada, Australia, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and the United Kingdom. As a partner nation, Canada is in a position to secure high-value work, such as the manufacturing of optical transceivers at Esterline CMC Electronics, on the entire JSF program.