Dear members, dear collaborators,

You may have read it in the press last week, our cluster mobilized alongside elected officials of Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean and Richard Martel, MP for Chicoutimi – Le Fjord.

We joined forces to share our concerns about the choice of a home base for the Government of Canada's military drone acquisition project.

Convinced that the Bagotville Base contributes directly to the synergy and unique know-how of the province on a Canadian and North American scale, we hope that this drone fleet will be located in the Saguenay – Lac -Saint Jean region.

The implementation of such a project would confirm Quebec’s position as a hub for the drone sector across Canada. By becoming a true hub for drone technology, the province would increase its attractiveness for manufacturers and contribute to creating a unique synergy between Bagotville and Alma in a rapidly expanding field.

Beyond the annual economic spinoffs - essential in a context of economic recovery - the arrival of military drones would also strengthen the French-speaking presence within the Canadian Armed Forces which, for years, have been making efforts to maximize this representativeness.
 

We sincerely hope that our appeal to the federal government will be heard.
 

A positive response to our mobilization would, without a doubt, send a clear message of the federal government’s commitment to Quebec’s aerospace industry.

And on a lighter tone, the Saint-Jean-Baptist Day marked the beginning of the summer period, so I take this opportunity to wish you all a great summer!