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Aerospace Industry

During question period, the aerospace industry came up, specifically a federal contribution to a small company developing a commercial rocket launch site in Nova Scotia. Michael Cooper of the Conservatives asked the government to release all records about roughly 200 million dollars given to a six-person company to lease public land for a spaceport, saying the company pays little for the land and had large financial losses and almost no revenue. Liberal ministers David McGuinty and Sean Fraser replied that building Canada’s own space launch capability would bring investment, create well-paying jobs, strengthen sovereignty, reduce reliance on the United States, and open partnerships with Europe, and said the facility has already carried out test launches reaching beyond 100 kilometres. Fraser also said the Conservatives were opposing jobs in Nova Scotia.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

4 statements

Michael Cooper

Conservative

Linked statement

“The government gave 200 million dollars to a tiny company to lease land for a spaceport. The company only pays 20,000 dollars a year for that land. I want the government to release all the records about this deal.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to come clean about 200 million tax dollars that they handed a six-person company of Liberal insiders to lease a so-called spaceport that is really nothing more than a gravel pit. That was 200 million tax dollars to a company that does not even own the land and that leases the land from the Province of Nova Scotia for less than $20,000 a year. If taxpayers are not being ripped off, then why will the Liberals not release all of the documents surrounding this shady lease?

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David McGuinty

Liberal
“We are investing in Canada's ability to launch our own spacecraft. It will bring in billions of dollars, create good jobs, make us less dependent on the United States, and let us partner with European countries.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 39 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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  • A repeated line

    “Establishing Canadian sovereign space launch capabilities will drive billions in investments.”

    Said 6 times by 2 members since April 24.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, once again, establishing Canadian sovereign space launch capabilities would drive billions of dollars in investments. It would create well-paying jobs. It would increase Canada’s sovereignty. It would reduce our reliance on the United States. It would support a commercial space launch and re-entry industry that could be worth up to $40 billion. European countries are lining up to work with us. This is what we are investing in. I am not sure what the Conservatives are up to at all.

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Michael Cooper

Conservative
“The government gave 200 million tax dollars to a failing company so it could lease public land. I want to know if they are hiding the documents because this deal just makes their friends rich.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there is more. The company’s 2025 financial statements recorded a comprehensive loss of $47 million, and revenue of under $15,000. In other words, the company was nearly bankrupt until the Liberals came to their rescue and handed them 200 million tax dollars to lease land that taxpayers already own. Is the reason the Liberals will not release the documents not that it is just one big scam in which Liberal insiders are getting rich?

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Sean Fraser

Liberal
“The Conservatives oppose creating new jobs in Nova Scotia. We are building a rocket launch industry in rural areas that will create good, modern jobs. If the Conservatives keep opposing these jobs, people here will not vote for them.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 27 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it never ceases to amaze me how opposed the Conservatives are to jobs in Nova Scotia. We have an opportunity to establish a new industry. The facility to which he points has had two test launches that have sent a rocket beyond the 100-kilometre threshold. We are bringing a new industry in rural Nova Scotia. I ran for office to help create good opportunities in modern industries to deliver well-paying jobs for my friends, my neighbours and fellow residents of the province. If the Conservatives continue to oppose jobs in my home province, they are going to continue to have zero seats in Nova Scotia for quite some time.

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