Dear members, dear partners,

As many countries begin the process of deconfinement, the Québec aerospace industry is uniting to accelerate the movement towards a safe recovery of the sector.

And today, I can tell you that our industry is ready.

It has worked hard to put in place health rules for the resumption of manufacturing activities. It is already mobilizing to build a greener and safer aircraft for the future.

At the heart of airports and aircraft, it has adjusted to our "new normal" based on the guide to good health practices published by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

However, this gradual and sustainable recovery of the air transport industry will not be possible without the help of the federal government. For this mobilization to be successful, we will need to follow the lead of our European neighbours.

We need this support today to open our borders. We will need it tomorrow to launch a concrete recovery plan for the air industry. Helping our industry means making a strategic choice for the country's economic recovery: let's not forget that, in 2018, it contributed, directly and indirectly, up to $20 billion to Canada's GDP.

I'll say it again: our industry is ready. And, to delve deeper into this subject, we will bring together key players of the Québec and Canadian aerospace ecosystem this morning at 11:00 a.m. for a roundtable discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on airlines and the passenger experience.

I hope I can count on you to join us for this unprecedented event.