When Peter MacKay took on the job of defence minister last month, there was no doubt he knew difficult days would lie ahead.

Only six weeks into the job, and one of the files on his desk puts him in the most delicate of positions: if he gives the military the new planes it wants, he could end up taking away the livelihood of some of his constituents.

For nearly a decade, DND's Aurora aircraft have been undergoing $1.6 billion in needed upgrades, with much of that work being carried out in MacKay's home province of Nova Scotia.

These long-range planes keep an eye on Canada's coasts, searching for anything untoward such as drug smugglers, human traffickers and vessels that might be challenging Canadian sovereignty.

But the upgrades for these planes are now suspended, as reported by CBC News last week. The minister has now confirmed also that buying new aircraft to replace the 30-year-old fleet is an option under serious consideration.

Here's MacKay's dilemma: a firm in his home province has been counting on the Auroras sticking around for a while. I.M.P Group International planned to enter a competition for a government contract to re-wing the plane.

Indeed, it's already built a $20-million hanger where the work would take place, according to a source in the firm. And you can appreciate why I.M.P would take that initiative. The contract is thought to be worth as much as $1 billion over a number of years.

According to the I.M.P source, "It was ours to win or lose." Indeed, the firm has already been working on the Aurora for years. As many as 1,200 to 1,500 employees toil away, doing what's called deep level maintenance, which is the work that helps keep the Auroras flying safely.

According to the source, "The Aurora is our bread and butter."

So, you get the picture of what's at stake here. If the defence minister opts for a brand new plane, hundreds of Nova Scotians will be out of work.

It should come as no surprise that Nova Scotia MPs are already getting calls from anxious I.M.P. employees. NDP MP Peter Stoffer says, "We're very nervous about the future of the Aurora contract," adding, "(MacKay) better realize we are watching this extremely closely and I'll be on him if he lets us down."

The employees of I.M.P. should know their job prospects by November 20th. That's when the suspension order expires and the military has to make its final decision on the future of the Aurora.

For MacKay, of course, it will also be a decision that could influence hundreds, if not thousands, of voters. Whatever he decides, it will no doubt be one of those days he knew would lie ahead.