Ottawa, September 16, 2013—Following news of the first flight of Bombardier Inc.'s new CSeries aircraft today, the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Industry, issued the following statement:
"On behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and our government, I would like to congratulate Bombardier and all of those who have contributed to this historic achievement for the CSeries program.
"This new family of aircraft promises better fuel efficiency, reduced noise levels and lower operational costs. It is a testament to the innovative and competitive spirit of Bombardier—and indeed Canada's aerospace industry. Bombardier's CSeries program is expected to create opportunities for firms throughout the Canadian aerospace industry, with final assembly of the aircraft to be completed in Mirabel, Quebec.
"A healthy Canadian aerospace industry is important to Canada. It is a vital incubator of advanced technologies and represents a critical mass of Canadian firms that are helping to build a future economy based on high-tech and value-added products.
"Our government is proud to contribute to Bombardier's successful CSeries program, and we will continue to support Canada's dynamic aerospace industry, which contributes over 170,000 high-paying jobs and over $27 billion annually to the Canadian economy."
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For further information (media only), please contact:
Sébastien Gariépy
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable James Moore
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
1-800-328-6189
media-relations@ic.gc.ca
