Canada, industry look at military procurement

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MONTREAL, May 1 (UPI) -- Representatives from Canadian industry and the government have met over defense procurement and job creation.

The meeting was conducted in the form of a workshop in Montreal in which Minister of Public Works and Government Services Rona Ambrose participated.

"Our government is committed to supporting the Canadian armed forces, Canadian workers and the Canadian economy," she said. "Our government will continue to leverage military procurement, in consultation with industry, to maximize job creation, support Canadian manufacturing capabilities and innovation and bolster economic growth in Canada."

The Canadian government estimates that every billion dollars in defense and security spending creates or sustains 18,000 jobs in the country and creates $710 million in gross domestic product. Workshop participants helped identify areas of Canadian competitiveness and trends in global demand and supply to better leverage military procurement.

It is estimated that more than 90,000 Canadian workers are employed in the Defense and Security sector.