OTTAWA – Telesat says the Aerospace Review report released on Thursday provides a clear path forward for the Government of Canada.
Telesat congratulated Minister of Industry Christian Paradis for mandating the Aerospace Review and David Emerson, the review head and his colleagues for their work in delivering a timely and focused report that addresses many of the critical issues facing Canada's space industry.
Among the key findings of the report’s two volumes Beyond the Horizon: Canada's Interests and Future in Aerospace and Reaching Higher: Canada's Interests and Future in Space, is a clear statement that the imperatives of development and security in the North should be high on the list of Government priorities in a Canadian Space Program says Telesat.
"Telesat agrees that the North presents an important opportunity and believes that it can be best addressed by leveraging the advanced capabilities of today's satellite services," stated Dan Goldberg, President and CEO.
"For the past several years, the Government of Canada has studied the development of a capability to provide broadband communications infrastructure for sovereignty, safety and security objectives in the North and to allow for meteorological observation in the Arctic to permit weather forecasting, modeling and environmental monitoring. Creating such a capability would greatly enhance the government's ability to deliver on some of the key objectives identified in the report, using satellites as a key instrument of policy."
The Aerospace Review report also identifies that one of government's key responsibilities relates to making procurement decisions that strengthen domestic industries, and therefore the national economy, while respecting international trade rules and acquiring the best products at a reasonable price.
Telesat also applauded the report's approach in relation to procurement practices of the government.
"Given that Canada is making fewer space investments than certain other countries the Government of Canada must be highly targeted and strategic when it procures space related services and goods with a view toward enhancing the competitiveness of the Canadian space sector while at the same time achieving a good value proposition for the Canadian taxpayer," added Goldberg.
Telesat says it looks forward to the Government's response to the report.
