Tories defend sole-sourced $16B jet purchase

The federal government has made one of the largest military purchases in Canadian history, buying 65 state-of-the-art fighter jets for $9-billion. Critics are concerned that Canadian taxpayers might be getting a bad deal.

CTV News Channel: Defence Minister Peter MacKay

The federal defence minister defends the Conservative government's decision of a $16-billion sole-sourced purchase for 65 state-of-the-art fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.

CTV News Channel: Bob Rae, Liberal MP

The Liberal foreign affairs critic explains why he feels the multi-billion dollar purchase of fighter jets is a poor decision because they do not fit into Canada's long-term military plan.

CTV News Channel: Col. Michel Drapeau, analyst

A retired colonel says he doesn't know why Canada needs new aircraft at this point in time when the world is in a recession. He says the bottom line is Canada is paying top dollar to acquire very sophisticated and expensive aircraft for a need that has not been defined yet.

CTV News Channel: Malcolm Allen, NDP, Ontario

The NDP says while they support the men and women of the Canadian Forces, there has to be a plan and a transparent process to ensure they get good value for tax dollars.

CTV News Channel: Officials speak in Ottawa part 1

Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose speak in Ottawa at a press conference about the controversial $16B deal with Lockheed Martin to purchase new fighter jets. MacKay says they want to ensure Canada's fighter aircraft fleet remains among the best in the world.

CTV News Channel: Officials speak in Ottawa part 2

Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose speaka in Ottawa at a press conference about the controversial $16B deal with Lockheed Martin to purchase new fighter jets.

CTV News Channel: Marc Garneau, industry critic

The Liberal industry critic says the Liberals are upset the government did not go through a competitive process to replace the fighter jets and the $16 billion cost will be one of the largest military projects in Canadian history.

Watch: See all Videos in the Player

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A F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is seen in the hangar waiting for an announcement by Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway Peter MacKay in Ottawa, Friday July 16, 2010. (Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Fri. Jul. 16 2010 8:43 PM ET

The Harper government is defending its $16-billion sole-sourced purchase for 65 state-of-the-art fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.

The Liberals and a former public servant who once headed the purchase project, say competitive bids should have been allowed in the purchase of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

The jets will replace Canada's aging CF-18s that recently underwent a $2.6-billion upgrade. The planes will be 40 years old when they need another upgrade in 2020, so the government opted for new jets.

"We need to ensure our fighter-aircraft fleet remains the best in the world to meet the threats of the 21st century," Defence Minister Peter MacKay told a news conference featuring a prototype of the jet on Friday.

According to a Department of Defence statement, the first F-35 jet will be delivered in 2016, and the government paid $9 billion for 65 of them.

Factor in maintenance costs over 20 years and the cost rises to $16 billion.

MacKay told CTV News Channel that new military gear is good for morale, and that recruitment numbers will likely rise as the jets become operational.

"People are exited about this aircraft," he said, adding that the jets have "eye-watering capability."

But Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said the deal should be put on hold.

He has called for the Commons defence committee to reconvene to discuss what he says is the government's "secretive, unaccountable decision to proceed with this contract."

The Chrétien Liberal government signed a memorandum of understanding with Lockheed Martin to develop the fighter jet, but did not commit the country to purchasing the aircraft.

The public servant in charge of the military's initial involvement in the program says the current government is abusing the sole-source procedure.

"Don't get me wrong, I think the JSF is a marvelous aircraft; absolutely state-of-the-art, but there needs to be an open competition," Alan Williams, the former assistant deputy minister of material, told The Canadian Press.

The government argues the purchase will allow Canadian companies more involvement in the program in the future.

"The Joint Strike Fighter program allows Canadian companies to build on existing strengths and establish strategic capabilities," Industry Minister Tony Clement said in a statement. "Canadian companies will have direct involvement in the design of equipment in the short term, while also setting in motion opportunities for decades to come."

Liberal MP Bob Rae said that the purchase should have been announced in June, so Parliament could have discussed it in an open and accountable way.

Rae stressed that new fighter jets may be unnecessary, given the likely nature of future conflicts.

During insurgent combat or guerilla warfare, Rae said that state of the art fighter jets won't necessarily be useful.

Instead, he said the government needs to clearly map out priorities and create a long-term game plan for defence spending.

Ontario NDP MP Malcolm Allen said the defence department hasn't set out clear spending priorities since 1993.

"If we don't know what our needs are going forward, how do we know what to buy? That's a critical issue here," he said.

Comments are now closed for this story

syko
said

Some one tell Mr Ignatief that I watched a Navy Sea King fly by yesterday, 17 years after the Liberals canceled its replacement.

Merle Terlesky
said

Finally so we can stop flying around on these old planes we have and use new technology!
Way to PM Harper!

David in Dartmouth
said

Liberals..Iggy and Bob Rae have lots of credibility here....RIGHT....!!!! If we continued to purchase our military equipment according to their standards.. our fighters would be falling out of the sky. The F-18 is now 30 years of age....do they not get it? Look as the Seaking Helicopters.... at the moment we are just test flying the replacement.....and the one that went to Haiti.....it was nearly lost!!!! We need to better than the Liberal NDP standard of bubble gum and crazy glue for our brave soldiers, sailors and air persons. Well Done..National Government...Lets get on with it!!

Steve Yon
said

Quarter of a BILLION dollars per aircraft??!! Are the Tories insane? When was the last time Canada used fighters? Any idea how much we can improve health, education, and infrastructure instead of wasting it on toys?! Harper has to go!!

paul
said

@mead... Good one!

Dee
said

We need those jets. When was the last time anything new was purchased for our defense.?? They may have gone about it the wrong way as in there were no bids. but yes we need them , or should we depend on our neighbors to protect us or should we wait for a plane to be flown into one of our big buildings?

Bob - Victoria
said

My understanding is that this is the best aircraft available and is the best choice for our airforce. This should be less to do about the price and more to do with the safety and efficiency of our service personnel who protect the rest of our butts. I truly hope that the opposition parties do not make this a political issue and promise to scrap the purchase as the Liberals ("Chretien") did with the helicopter fiasco, just to try to form the next government. Our airforce deserves the best equipment. Would anyone buy a cheaper car seat for their child, if they have to give up "quality" and "safety"? Dump the partisanship garbage!

GL
said

Let's be civil and democratic Tories...Do you go out and get the family in debt for many years (and generations to come) in order to buy a "mansion" that you may need? Not only that... you are buying this "mansion" when everyone is away, so no one get to be consulted in the process?If this is indeed a great deal or there is a great need for it, you need to sell it more, not "shut everyone out".This is my tax dollars after all. I, my kids, my grandkids will be playing for this for long time. Get everyone back in the Parliament if you want this deal to go through. Trying to pass the largest military purchase when government is in recess is not how a Canadian government should be run! Make damn sure there is a need for it and it is a solid fair deal before you ever put your ink on it.

Rockstar
said

So the Liberals are complaining about the same sort of things they do while in power? The liberals are soooo boring. To think I was once a Liberal backer. Its nice to see a government put money into our military. Modern military will mean safer troops!!!

Billy Bishop
said

The cost is spread over many years, what's the big deal. If the Liberals were in power we would still be renting Russian cargo planes.

Ray
said

Why are people calling this the 'best' fighter in the world?? Thee best fighter is the F-22 Raptor by a long shot and it is only for the American Air Force, no other country can own one. Next gen Russian fighters would/will whoop the F-35 while next gen radar systems will negate the stealth aspect of the F-35.

Drew in NS
said

What does a Liberal mean when the put things on "HOLD". I remember a strong willed Liberal one day saying "When elected we will get rid of the GST, its gone no more" and that never happened........... but as luck would have it that "wasn't on hold". Sheila Copps was going to resign from the Liberal Party if the GST wasn't gone, but as a Liberal she resigned her seat only to force a $2 million dollar taxpayer funded by election where she was reelected. If Iggy was going to win any points from this "HOLD" issue, it will be from the Green Party, because "IF" LOL he became PM he would put the decision on "HOLD" have serious consaltations with "BOB" and the boys and after two days would "Recycle" the idea hold another $300000 press conference to announce the Liberal government would be going past the Conservatives committment and will buy 66 F-35's.

Ash
said

In BBC News the Anchor said "lockheed WIN an order"....that was funny...win an order! against whom!?....it was GIVEN!

Havelock Heavy
said

These are my tax dollars that are being spent here. This may well be the best aircraft to meet Canada's needs but I sure would like some transparency in the process and the documents to prove that I'm getting value for my money. What do I get instead? If feels like something is being pushed down my throat. I don't need photo-ops for smiling Ministers, I need facts!

John
said

The F-35 is the jack of all trades, master of none. $100+ million per copy of this aircraft is a rip!!

dmacm
said

Good choice. Get the deal done and get on with the next order of business.

Dave in Calgary
said

Sole source contracts are sign of public organization not doing its full due dilligance. Whether the decision is right or not the government has not followed the proceedures required for us that we get the best deal. Steven Harper should know better, he has run on fiscal compentancy.

Sam C
said

The Liberals, aren't they the ones that put the kibosh to replacing the Sea King helicopters -- the ones that kept falling out of the sky? Didn't that result in us spending Billions MORE when the government was finally able to move ahead with a replacement?

Yet another paul
said

One thing is for certain here. The Liberals would never provide anything like this for our Forces., Unless of course that these planes included free daycare spaces and instructions in 22 languages....

Bryn
said

I just want to know what other company can offer the F-35? Oh, should we go to Europe for their planes? The Liberals already committed us to close to $400 million on this project, why would we kiss that off? What good would delaying be? I won't drag the Sea King fiasco out too much, but the Liberals want to do the same thing again, at the cost of our servicemen's lives. As for the 7 years that our CF18's are good for, let's just remember that it'll be 2016 before we can take delivery of these jets anyway. If we wait for another 3 years, we'll have to spend more on the CF-18's to stay in the air until the F-35's are here. Let's not delay. Let's get these things ordered and delivered so it doesn't cost us more, like everything else the Liberals want to drag out does.

Az-man1
said

Still trying to understand the arguements against this purchase. So we should spend another 2 -3 years and tax-payer dollars as we go through a bidding process, AND arrive at the same conclusion anyways. Seems backwards.As for Mr. Rae's comment about not knowing what our needs will be, just shows how detached he is from the reality of our existing military infrastructure. Buying fighter jets is not like walking into your local car dealership and driving out with whatever is on the lot. It takes years to build these machines, and to train all the personnel who will be working with them. I am glad that the govt made the decision and proceeded with it.

willowway
said

Can anyone tell me what world crisis could arise that would require a Canadian Government to use these few expensive toys.We would be well advised to spend these huge sums on equipment and manpower that would give us the capability to demonstrate our sovereignty over our territory from sea to sea to sea. That includes the capability to respond to potential internal disruptions.Our security needs cannot be met with a high performance aircraft flying at any altitude. On the other hand, they will be great at airshows! I can think of no other useful purpose.

Mead
said

The Liberal party of sole sourced their leader. Why don't they open up their leadership for and vote the old fashioned way instead of sole sourcing Iggy?

Tim in Winnipeg
said

Finally we are getting some new equipment for our armed forces. They deserve the best because they ARE THE BEST!

grace
said

Fighter jets ARE used for ground support. Good to have our own; maybe there will be less friendly-fire incidents.

Not impressed with Liberals
said

The Liberals would send the Canadian Forces to war with a ball of string and a dollar store water pistol if we let them. Our trrops were sent to Afghanistan by the Liberals, in forest green camo, without proper weapons and vehicles. They actually, thru there uneducated leaders, sent us to the heartland of the taliban, the most dangerous part of the country..Kandahar. These aircraft seem ideal for Northern Patrols, which if we can hold on to the North, would pay for themselves tenfold. If we do not pretect the North, it will be taken from us, period.

Peter in MB
said

@MikefromHalifax... don�t knock the Ross rifle, It is simply the best rifle your enemy could ever have. LOL� for anyone who has never herd about the Ross rifle, it had a reputation for blowing up and taking half your face with it.

Nick in Gatineau
said

You can't claim that government has to be accountable, lay off 'Liberal' government workers so you can repleace with 'Conservative' ones, and then bypass the bidding process.Its not about the planes. The issue here is that it reeks of bribes, back-room deals, and corrupt officials which no-one will ever know about. If you really want the planes, wait 2 years and see what the Israelis will have done with theirs. And then buy Israeli for 10 to 15 % cheaper than Lockheed - and end up with a better plane.

cis65
said

About time our forces get some modern equipment. Our ships and planes are getting very old time for an upgrade

Johann
said

"- Purchase of the F-35 would mean a boost in Canadian manufacturing = more jobs for Canada. How is that a bad thing?"In turn, the Government will get money back by taxing the Canadian manufacturer and the Canadian workers working on building these planes. This cash back can be allocated to another program...its a win/win for the government and canadians.

Doug
said

The process of finding and developing this jet started a number of years ago. We have invested hundreds of millions into it, and there were other airplane manufacturers involved. This was the choice of many nations. so why is the direction and the process chosen by the Gov't not good enough. Is it because it was not the lib's that did it.

Rob
said

actually, you people have no clue what the government of canada owns with respect to defence equipment. they only allow the media to publish what they want you to know.there is a whole lot that IS NOT PUBLIC in our socialist nation.Cheers!!

David Poelzer
said

Two Words: Great Buy!

Malcolm
said

The planes are one of the best in the world, but I think we should have a larger navy. 12 billion worth of ships and build them in Canada creating thousands of jobs. I'm not upset about the planes but I'm looking at what will bring Canadians jobs and money in their pockets. The planes will be built in the U.S. where the ships could be built by Canadians. The gov should insist on the building of the planes in Canada at least then it would create jobs.

Peter in MB
said

I think this is a perfect description of IGGY... You can lead a horse to water but you can make it drink, you can fill a mind full of knowledge but you can�t make it think. Wendy, Sue, Mr intelligent liberal, this also fits you as well. I hate to tell you this but there are people in the Real world that Do NOT want to be your friends, and would sooner chop off your head with a machete that shake your hand. So get your heads out of your Liberal fantasy land.

kevin c
said

There's really so many angles on this issue:1) should we be spending money to replace the current fleet of CF-18s2) if so, should this go to a bid3) if not the F-35, then what other options are there?In response to those:1) the current CF-18 is a thirty year old design. It's served us well, but it's reaching the end of it's useful life. Canada ordered about 130 of them, and the current fleet of 80 has been kept airborne, largely by cannibalizing parts the other planes. During Canada's participation in various NATO operations in the 1990s, the plane was already demonstrating some struggles performing relative to newer aircraft that it has to work with, and that it has to fight against. This will continue to get worse over the years if we stick with these planes..... a car can be maintained and remain useful for years, because it doesn't need to go up against an enemy. A fighter plane does. If we're not prepared to keep our forces equipped to compete then we might as well phase out the military completely (which we *were* doing during the 1990s).2) it SHOULD go to a bid, but really, there are only a few options. The F-35, the Eurofighter, and the Boeing F-18E/F.3) The F-18E/F is possible, but it's manufacturer is phasing them out in 2015, so it's not an ideal choice. The Eurofighter is slightly cheaper than the F-35, but with the F-35, Canada has an edge because Canadian Aerospace has already participated in the development of the F-35, meaning that there are likely industrial spin-offs (from parts and service) for domestic Aerospace companies, which we are not likely to get with the Eurofighter.

Nick in Gatineau
said

Who's invading Canada... exactly ? Accountability ? Spent money, wrong time. AGAIN. How many Conservative MPs own Locheed stock I wonder? With Mulroney it was 5 ministers in all who owned stocks - and made money - on a cancelled deal. Remember Oerlikon ? Its time for a Public, National Registry of MP, MLA and local government reps. assets.

Stu
said

@Bill in BC It was Diefenbaker that burned all the blue prints for the arrow & he was a progressive conservative. Nice try I would post you a link but it's not allowed.

Johnny
said

None of the news reports I see explain what the issue is. This isn't a normal government contract like building a bridge or purchasing planes to ferry around the politicians. These are figher jets, and the best ones on the market. Also,we signed a memorandum of understanding with L-M, and now we're following through on that tentative agreement. Also, these fighter jets seem like the best around, so why would we buy inferior aircraft?

Bob
said

If Iggy has his way we will purchase cheaper planes. You know, like cheaper buses.

Jack in BC
said

1 billion in three days at the G-20 to get austerity measure to fight a deficit created by poor management/lapse government policy .... now we spend 16 billion on jets to fight an invisible enemy. Social cuts are coming and what will be left is a monochromatic Conservative world of self digestion.Harper's madness is going to emaciate this country!

Bill in BC
said

The only parallel to this is teh EH-101 contract. The liberals once again would rather pay out cacellation penalties than buy what is needed when it is needed and affordable. As for claiming this is like the AVRO Arrow, NOT. The Arrow while a classy airframe was uneconomical, had no weapons system, no buyers, and was impractical. The knowlege gained form it benefited aerospace industry but the losses were the result of the Liberal appointed managers shuting everything down and destroying all blueprints, jigs, etc. Nice try, but you can't blame everything on the conservative boogyman.

Keith in Brampton
said

@SpenBC: You wrote "Crap on this only if you have a viable alternative!" The point of a proper bidding procedure ids to determine IF we have a viable alternative. Without the proper investigation into what other options we have, we may be spending billons more than we need to in order to achieve this level of equipment. Do we need new jets? Absolutely! Do we need to spend this kind of money to get what we need? That's what the bidding process is designed to determine: are we getting value for our money, or buying $100 hammers? For a party that was all for openness and transparency, the Harperites are pretty darned quick to make closed-door deals. And frankly, anything with Clement's name attached is suspicious to me, after the overpriced P3 nonsense he foisted on Brampton when we needed a new hospital. That man is extremely good at overspending and underdelivering.

Jamie McDonald
said

The Libs are only doing their job in providing some opposition to the perceived problem with this deal. Having said this, the Conservatives are doing the right thing and, as has already been well said, we need modern weapons of warfare like the F-35, which is the best of the best. If we wait it will only get more costly and our troops will be seriously hampered and unprepared to face global threats in the 21st century. Harper and the government should be applauded and, contrary to what NDP cross-over and political opportunist Bob Rae states, passing this through in July shows the criticisms he raised to be non-issues in light of the greater good this deal will provide.

sandman
said

@ Wendy: Pull your head out! We are NOT a peacekeeping nation because peacekeeping doesn't work! Peacekeeping just sounds nice to people who don't know any better. Canada is a proud warfighting nation and always has been. Read some history. @ James: Canada DOES drop bombs.. in Kuwait, the Balkans, Iraq, and now Afghanistan. Air-to-ground force employment is the flavour of the day much more than air-to-air is. NATO already has air supremacy so it makes sense to buy jets with a dual role capability. Thanks for coming out.

Art
said

More needed than these fighters are long-range transport and patrol aircraft, new helicopters, light armored vehicles, ships and ice-breaking vessels for the Far North, not to mention equipment for the ordinary soldier. This government doesn't even know what the military needs & it definitely doesn't listen to the people or make any rational decisions.

peter in MB
said

�Michael Ignatieff said if he was in charge the deal would be put on hold� In other words he would cut funding to the military.

Paul in Vancouver
said

65 planes are not enough, one of thirteen U.S. Aircraft Carriers have about 45.Don't let this be cancelled!

Ryan
said

I'm glad to see most people here are on the same page. 40 Years old.. These men give their lives to defend our Nation while flying a Jet designed the same year as the microwave oven.It shows how much the Liberals value the lives of those who serve.

JB in Ontario
said

At that price we should double the number of aircraft! Oh, and I think we should keep international airshows going too!

Phil(HFX)
said

"Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said if he was in charge the deal would be put on hold".Just like Chrietain with the Sea King replacements in '91.19 years later the Navy is still flying the death traps. Thank you PM for putting the troops and country ahead of political crap. Call the election so Iggy can get on with his job at the University of Toronto, and you can continue to do what is right for the people of Canada. Atta boy Stephen

Steve O
said

The liberals signed onto development of the aircraft for 160 million during good economic times, this development allowed Canadian aerospace companies to help make electronics and such, which basically is an economic lift...... SPENDING TEN TIMES THAT AMOUNT 16 billion 18 with maintenance is not an economic lift, has not been done in good economic times, and even if needed should at least be postponed until our countries financial troubles are over.... This conservative government in its next budget is going to going to slash and burn public spending in an austerity budget... I think the first thing that should be cut before education, health care, and other social initiatives is obviously 65 stealth planes.

wally from Montreal
said

Good choice, it's about time like most posters have said, ohh also our dollar will be above par great deal LOL cost save 1 billion?

Sue
said

16 Billion dollars for fighter jets? Where are our priorities. The PM pledges to bring a dreary climate of austerity, where public services and spending are trashed. However, we can muster 9 billion dollars for machines to annihilate other human beings. That's human progress. At least, not in health or education or happiness or democratic freedom. But...well...at least we can no do more war fighting with the Americans. We could become jingoistic and blindly patriotic like them too. All hail expensive death machines. Too heck with our children's future. Let's cut health care, education, social services, and every form of public (economy-boosting) services in order to fund war machines. No child-care for mothers and fathers wanting to participate full in the economy. It is the American way. They live shorter lives, have poorer health outcomes, greater wealth gaps, and gosh darn it, they have nicer war machines. Slowly but surely, one day we can be as proud as the Americans. And maybe we can start killing as many people too.

Observer
said

@Wendy - Give it a rest with your USA takeover of Canada paranoia! As for stimulating the US economy, do you have any idea as to how many Canadian companies have already made millions off the the F35, through component and spinoff contracts and how many more will do so once this aircraft goes into full production?? Thats a rhetorical question as obviously you have no clue. On top of that, having no air defence capability of our own will make us MORE reliant on the US to defend us and thus LESS independant, but obviously that logic escapes you. As for your "Department of Peace" (Which is eerily out of the novel 1984), why dont you ask those poor USAID workers blown to pieces by the Taliban how the soft touch worked for them!!

MikefromHalifax
said

For those of you concerned that buying American won't produce Canadian jobs. We need pilots, mechanics and aircrew to fly them, and maintain them. Not to mention we will also require re/retrofits which will be able to be done at Canadian firms.

Paul
said

So many people out of work and they spend this money...spend this money when they say we can't afford other things?Get a reality check people...as it's better to spend when the economy is in full swing on such things...not in the middle of a recession.

Stu
said

Canada is surrounded by water on three sides & the US on the other. Who's the closest to attack us? The US, were going to have 65 of these planes & the US will have at least 2000. Who do you think is going to win? They also have 10 times the population, this is a waste of tax dollars.

MikefromHalifax
said

First and foremost, its a single source because there's only one supplier who sells F-35s. It is the best, and it's priced to sell. Why would anyone want to buy a second rate plane. Government procurement rules are ridiculous at best anyway. Always trying to get competition and then getting stuck with junk when the lowest bidder has an inferior product. Why should our guys have to run second rate equipment because it is supplied by the lowest bidder. Remember the Ross Rifle. Remember the Upholder Class Submarines.

Paul
said

Also the question of "sole source". Look into the history of the F-35 and how it came to be and you will see that it exsits because a heated competition, including costing, engineering, development, prototyping and testing was performed in the US and Lockhead Martin won. Whe repeat the outlandish costs of another competition. And who has a plane that can compete? is Iggy planning to buy Russian aircraft?

DRR
said

Playing Politics has NO business in maintaining our countries security and defence. We hire capable people in the military to determine what equipment is needed to do the job.Politicians place is in determining what the job is we need our military to do, and provide the resource to do it, then get out of the way.

Dan in Quebec
said

Does Avis or Tilden not rent out fighter jets? How about our pathetic paddle powered Navy? I agree with this purchase. Water and energy hungry nations will not stop at our borders with rent a cop attitude. Flower power will simply not cut it anymore. Look at Tibet for example.

Cam
said

The government is bragging about giving the best toys for their boys. When the money is not coming out of your pocket you can be as generous is can be. This 16 billion (could be 18 and may be 36 billion) deal is nothing but a generous donation to the military industry corporates in the U.S. to keep the fat cats happy. Buying the jets from the U.S. and then using them to fight the U.S. wars is a double loss. just give them the money, and let them fight the world on their own, at least we save precious Canadian lives.

Paul
said

Well done Iggy, just like old jean with the helicopters. We ended up spending 2/3 of the cost of the helicopters in cancellation fees and got NOTHING for our money; no jobs, no businesses, no technology and not helicopters and the armed forces are still flying those old widow makers. Why don't the liberals just line up the soldiers and shoot them, it would be kinder than sending them off in old, worn out, broken down crap.

Earthwatcher
said

This is a state of the art multi role fighter that this country simply needs. Our commitments to NATO and our own security needs make it a necessity. I wish it were not so, but it is."Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said if he was in charge the deal would be put on hold." Of course Iggy would say this, the Liberals always have and always will put off spending on defense budgets. It started with P.E. Trudeau slashing the military to nothing and they have carried on that proud tradition every time they have been in power.The government was not going to save any significant amount of money going through the bidding process. These aircraft are going to cost us billions, no matter how you slice it. An expensive but appropriate step taken.

Mike R.
said

To those complaining about the age of the CF-18. These things are expensive. It's *very* common for air forces around the world to use their aircraft for 30 years - that's why they have upgrade programs throughout their lifetime just like we just had for the CF-18 - it's not uncommon for a fighter fleet to go through 2-3 upgrades in its lifetime. Even the U.S. have some very old aircraft in their fleet. You can't compare that stuff to a CAR, for crying out loud. But then again, if the commentators here knew a thing or two about military aviation, they'd know that.With that said, acquisition of a new jet fleet is a lengthy process that spans several years, often more than a decade. So the time is right for shopping for the CF-18s' replacement.

Anna
said

I too defend purchasing these Planes. If Canada was not full of Terrorists and Spies, as it appears we are, we would not need them. But, in order to defend ourselves from what might happen in the future (based on things that are taking place today....18 Terrorists, and many other incidents. etc.) we certainly do have to be ready to protect ourselves. Wake up Liberals. Now you know why you are not the Prime Minister Iggy.

James
said

You know where this is going, right? 30 years from now we'll be looking at buying 6th-generation fighters to replace our aging fleet of F-35's. They'll cost 1.5 billion apiece and we'll be able to afford 8 of them. 2 in Cold Lake, 2 in Bagotville, 2 in forward operating bases and 2 in for repairs. Also noted is that these are Strike Fighters, not air defense fighters. We don't do that much striking, because it generally isn't how Canadian foreign policy operates. We resort to dropping bombs on folks only after diplomacy has failed, and we stop as soon as diplomacy re-starts. Our missions are always backed by international consensus. The notion of 1st strike capability has never driven Canadian foreign policy, and the danger of buying into an American technology program like F-35 is that the cost base we inherit is really meant to support a 1st strike foreign policy, which we don't have. So its a cool fighter, no question, but at $140 million a pop, and with a lifetime of airshows and tracking Russian bombers they are going to be seriously underutilized. The Americans will upgrade their fleets rapidly and regularly, and we won't. Our 65 F-35's will slowly and quietly become incompatible with the Americans anyway. We would be better served by a bigger, cheaper fleet of defensive fighters and leave the 1st Strike pipe dreaming to our friends below the border. Iggy is right to want to have a look at saving us tax dollars.

Observer
said

As for the so-called controversy, the Liberals are constantly second-guessing military purchases, offering no real solutions. Aside from the F22 (far more expensive and not even available for export) NONE of the other competitors are 5th generation aircraft. There are some good options if we are buying an aircraft for service today, but we arent. We are buying an aircraft for service 7 years from now, we have to be forward thinking in the decision! The Liberals did the same when we bought the highly sought after and 100% necessary C17s, saying we should open that to a competitive process, offering up alternatives, an aircraft from Europe with half the capability and that at the time hadn´t even flown in testing (Airbus A400M) and some Cold War relic from Russia of all places. This, in criticism of buying a proven aircraft that was almost immediately available for Canadian service and has since proven invaluable in relief efforts in Jamaica and Haiti and ops in Afghanistan. Look at the Liberal legacy of equipment purchases and cancellations (unproven Cyclone helicopters that no one else has bought and that are years behind schedule, used Upholder class subs that catch fire and have barely put to sea 10 years after purchase and coastal patrol vessels built to civilian standard and armed with a gun that is literally left over from WW2), are these people in any position to comment on military purchases?

Portes
said

daryn3kYou must have a very short memory, I seem to remember a thing called ad scam. Check your history if you are not old enough to remember

beentherdonethat
said

its about time!!

Adam
said

I am feeling better about the military defence of Canada since the Conservatives took the helm.The Liberals would have us as sitting ducks. Thank you Prime MInister for ensuring the defence of our country.

Mr Mojo
said

I'm all for the replacement of the aging CF-18 fleet, what worries me is that this aircraft (F-35) has no combat background or track record to prove itself. Also, does anyone know which version we would be getting: CTOL, STOVL or carrier based version?

Wendy
said

Welcome to Harper's United States of North America, he said we wouldn't recognize Canada when he was done. Now I understand what words the conservatives wanted to change in O Canada, they would like it to start like: O say, can you see by the dawn's early light... When do we start flying the stars & strips? We need to be stimulating our economy, not the US economy. Were a peace keeping nation. 65 war planes have nothing to do with keeping the peace. We need a department of peace not war.

Brent
said

Sweet! A multipurpose, multirole, stealth fighter is exactly what we need. Canada was involved in its development so this is a logical choice. Thank you Mr. Harper and Conservatives.

Dan from Northern Ont
said

It wasn't bid on because the previous government invested big bucks into the development of this aircraft. It's a matter of writing off the development costs as wasted, or stay with the plan. As far as I'm concerned, the bidding should have occurred at the time of research (which it may or may not have)

inteligent Liberal
said

Is Canada trying to become a "Super Power" of the world...what a joke. ...lmao @ Canada

Will
said

State of the art? Yes it is. Best fighter jet availabe for air combat? No it is not. Its common knowledge that is plane is an excellent military tool, but it is also common knowledge that the Eurofighter Typhoon is the better air combat jet. I dont know why the government didn't have an open bidding process, it makes the most sense. I would have gone with the Eurofighter Typhoon. I want the jet that has the advantage in airborn confrontations.

TH in ON
said

I really don't care a whole lot as to which government made the decision to purchase this aircraft. If it was the Conservative's, Liberals, or Joe Blow it shouldn't matter. We can all criticize who spends our tax dollars or how they spend it. But until we are prepared to go overseas into war zones and stand beside the men and women working so hard to protect our freedom and the freedom of innocent men, women and children we need to do more then say "YA! I support our troops". We need to support the initiatives that give our troops the resources they need to do the best job they can. A plane is no good if its in the hanger for repairs. We need our planes in the air, our ships on the seas, and our men and women on the ground.

Sue
said

Good move nice to see more stimulus spending for the US economy.

john newmarket
said

16B includes future maintanence costs. Mr. Ignatieff needs to come up with an alternative before suggesting putting the deal on hold. Mr. Igantieff should also be careful... what if a situation comes up where the CF - 18's don't measure up, or a canadian pilot loses their life due to mechanical issues with the present aging aircaraft?

Paul B
said

I don't know what the problem is?Canada has been involved in the development of this plane since it won the U.S. compitition. There are no other new planes being developed right now. This is it. Who would be the other bidder?

gilbert in ottawa
said

At least the conservative learned the lesson from the SeaKings. The longer we wait or put on hold what is needed, the more expensive it becomes. Prices don't go down, they go up!. Decision taken, contracts signed, move on.

Paul
said

Yes, take it to tender and we'll end up with the lowest bidder... RUSSIA! Wouldn't that just be wonderful...

daryn3k
said

Just like the PC governments. Give lucrative contracts to their friends, get kick backs, and deny the bullpucky that they try to fool Canadian's with. It's just too bad that you fools that vote for them can't see the light in front of your face.

John MacPriest
said

Paul, I don't think 60 odd jets is going to put Canada into superpower status.But it was the Liberals who initailly gave money to buy into the project. This is just another example of how the Liberals claim to have the public interest at heart. Remeber the helocopters it cost almost as much to get out of the contract as it would to have them delivered.......and we would have them now, not still be waiting to replace the seakings.The liberals gave over our money to be part of the project, so now lets recoup on that investment. 16 billion over the planes life is not that much money. John

Kirk
said

I have to agree with Eric Lyons. The military for years has been under funded for years from the Chretien era. I am surprised that the Canadian Military even ceased to exist during the mid ninties. It is time to start equipping our forces with new up-to-date equipment so that they may perform their jobs effectively. We are going to need to exercise our sovereignty in the North if we want to still continue calling it part of Canada. The purchase of the new jets is a good move because they are the best at what they do. Yes it will hurt the taxpayers of this country for years but it will pay off for us in the years to come. I don't agree with every little brain storm that Harper and his gang come up with but this is a forward thinking and well thought out purchase.

Sailor
said

I sailed on a Canadian Tanker/Supply vessel when I was a cadet at 16 years of age. At that time, they had plans to replace the aging vessels. A type of Landing/Helo carring vessel. 23 years later, I am still serving in the Navy, and we are still "Talking" about replacing the same vessels! If you do not see the issues with this and the Federal procurement process...I am surprised you can read the article.

Cody
said

@ Paul: Super Power? Now you have me laughing. Please leave your ignorant statements to yourself. We're nowhere near being a "super power" and never will be. The U.S. is still the only "super power" and they have thousands of fighter aircraft between their Air Force, Navy & Marines. Canada is purchasing 65 aircraft. Super Power lmao... You're the joke Paul.

Steve
said

I think that this announcement is superb. Bringing us into the 21st century in the air can only add to our small military capability by enhancing our strengths. The big thing now is to not let the Liberal government squash this like they did the previous helicopter purchase. Then the Liberals turned around and purchased them anyway at price that was almost double what the Conservatives would have gotten them for. And all at taxpayers expense.

Peter Schiff
said

If you anti-American then i have news for you: your living in the wrong country. Whats the alternative? buy russian jets? buy second rate eurofighters? no thanks - the F-35 is an excellent choice

Pip
said

the problem with opening bids is that it takes too long. when I buy house repairs, i schedule all contractors to come and give estimates on the same day and choose one that same day. When buying an appliance (think airplane) I do my research then buy the one that best suits my needs rather than having several dealers making me offers. in the case of the fighters, there are too few options, and lockheed offers the best choice in terms of supply and maintenance. if we waited for liberals and ndp and bloc to run committees to choose, all the '18's would have fallen out of the sky by the time a decision was reached.

Portes
said

I have done some research on A Memorandum of understanding and it is considered a gentleman's agreement where although unstated the parties agree to buy or at least give the person or persons who sign the agreement the first option to buy their product. I am listing below the gentleman's agreement in it's legal state"A gentleman's agreement, or less frequently gentleman's agreement, is an informal agreement between two or more parties. It may be written, oral, or simply understood as part of an unspoken agreement by convention or through mutually beneficial etiquette. The essence of a gentlemen's agreement is that it relies upon the honor of the parties for its fulfillment, rather than being in any way enforceable (by the government). It is, therefore, distinct from a legal agreement or contract, which can be enforced if necessary."So I guess the Liberals basically signed an agreement to purchase the same aircraf that they are now ranting about

Dave in Surrey
said

Funny how Conservative supporters are against being open and accountable... If the jet is the only one of its kind and the best, then it would easily win a bid... I supply equipment to the Feds all the time, when I get a sole source one my profit margin increases as I have no competition... Who knows, maybe this going to bid would turn it into a 8.5 Billion purchase instead of a 9 Billion... We should be following our procedures for these types of purchases, it is what accountable governments do... 9:49am PST

Pehr Hedstrom
said

I don't get why the liberals are making such a fuss over this. The only other fifth generation fighter is russian, and doesn't even have fifth generation engines. What, are we going to buy Russian jets instead? This is the most advanced fighter jet in the world, so where is the "competition" going to come from?Don't get me wrong. I think they're generally progressive and I like that. That being said, they make a lot of mistakes when it comes to national defence, and this is one of them.

paul
said

Is Canada trying to become a "Super Power" of the world...what a joke. ...lmao

MarkinTO
said

@Nighttrain, the F-35 is a multi-role fighter (which means that it performs multiple mission types), it has been designed with the conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan in mind. It is not just an air superiority fighter but a ground attack platform as well, do a little more research next time.

Canuck in Toronto
said

I don't think anyone should be judging if these are the best planes available unless they have an aerospace engineering degree. The bottom line is this is a dangerous precedent that the Conservatives are setting by not opening up the bidding process. Think about the gouging we're getting from Lockheed who might have dropped the price if another manufacturer offered a competitive bid for jets and they might have lost the contract to them. What private business doesn't comparison shop before a large purchase? All of you out there supporting the conservatives are like lemmings blindly following your 'leader'. Have some common sense.

spaz
said

WEL WELL WELL......The great intelect...IGGY...has demonstrated again that he is "educated beyond his intelligence"It makes perfect sence to have all NATO countries use the same plane.......does IGGY think we can upgrade the old LANCASTER BOMBER down by the lake......?????I think he is still pissed that he had to take his bus to Harper Diesel to get repaired.

wilfbraun
said

The F 35's are for the Air force and we need them!why this big fuss over it?

Doug # BC
said

Thtere could be an argument made about the process.But certainly not by the Fiberals.I also think this is the right plane,but concede a lack of expertise.But here's the thing.Not since the days before Trudeau have the Liberals done much of anything to dedfend this nation,or provide our military with the tools they need to do a ob we know they can do.This needs to be done,and our military deserves more than just second hand equipment that other countries know is obsolete. I thank "Ontario Taxpayer" for a sound view from a part of the country that I have less and less faith in every day.As to "Albertaboy",I hate to tell yo thins,but a military is not something you ca build AFTER a war begins.If you expect a level of professionalism and competency,you will need proper equipment,men and women who are experienced in using it,and plenty of time to marry the two so that,in the event that they are needed,they are ready to go.Your point about spening it on the military instead of the people is absurd.What planet did you come from? All the social programs in the world are not worth a five pound bag of bovine manure if you can't defend your country.Liberals,in spite of their anti USA rhetoric,promote policies that make us totally reliant on the US military for our defense and our economy.I hardly see that as defending Canada or helping "the people".We all know they have become soft on efense.That is art of why they are in opposition.They had their chance to do something,and did not.Now,they need to either put up a detailed alternative plan,or get the heck out of the way of people who will do their best to do what needs to be done.

JB in Ontario
said

I agree with Art!

Paul West Coast
said

Conservatives love to spend our money; no wonder our deficits are always high under conservative governments. They don't buy small ticket items; they go for the big industrial military machinery.

donnie
said

Canada has always been part of the f-35 program. Look at early pictures of the F-35 (taken before the Conservatives ) and you'll see a Canadian flag on the aircraft. This is a great deal for Canada. We get new aircraft and new contract jobs through Lockheed Martin. There are too many people in this country that don't understand that the world is not made of rainbows and lollipops, and having military muscle is a good thing wether you like it or not. The Liberals know damn well that this plane is the biggest bang for the buck and they are simply playing games...a usual. The F-35 is money well spent.

Martin of NS
said

This is a great investment in Canadas armed forces. It will make us more competitive in international affairs, and will defend our soveriegnty, especially in the north. It seems like the liberals would let our Canadian armed forces crash and burn, and shrug the defense duties to the states, rather than have ourselves protect our territory.

Tim
said

The F-35 is the plane of the future and Canada has already spent about $400 million to be a partner in the program and that means jobs in Canada. The US, Britain and Australia are buying the fighters along with other NATO countries. It's called standardization and this story is nothing more than the Liberals making headlines and nothing more. Just look to the botched Merlin helicopter purchase and the used Upholder purchase to see Liberal goofs when it comes to the military. Only a complete and total novice doesn't understand that it makes sense to buy the F-35. But since when have the Liberals ever cared about the military other as over-glorified social workers?

Almost Iggy
said

Iggy almost had a hot topic worthy of a platform..that is the reduced Veteran Affairs program since the Tories came into power. Basicly, they call it the New Charter, and reduce claims by 50%, claiming they can fix the troops' problems, give them a quick lump sum payment, and send them on there way.... Total farce!Instead, Iggy decided it to lump it with this Jet purchase, which was started by the Liberals. Does he have a common sense assistant that can help him out?

Chuck Day
said

The fact that this $16 billion contact was untendered is just further proof that our cut'n'run Connserates are lapdogs to US corporations. BTW, The Liberals arent much better. It is about time that mindless Conservative and Liberal ideologues wake up and start thinkinking and holding their parties to account instead of just blindly "worshipping them at all costs" to Canada and innocent Canadian taxpayers. We need to save our country from mindless ideologues who don't think before they vote.

Ivan
said

The Cons. trolls were quick of the mark on this story. Let's, once again, try to twist this story so it's about the Liberals.No one can honestly tell me that if a Liberal government had signed an un-tendered $16 billion contract, the Cons. wouldn't be screaming.

Trevor in the Hat
said

Sure....go ahead and cancel this order, then vote for Iggy. That way they can buy some old WWII planes with holes in their wings to match the leaky subs.

Bob in Hamilton
said

The Chr�tien Liberal government signed a memorandum of understanding with Lockheed Martin to develop the fighter jet, but did not commit the country to purchasing the aircraft. It appears that the Liberals began this process and now the consrevatives are following through on the process. Well done Harper and MacKay for getting the best fighter aircraft available.

James
said

I don't normally agree with what the Conservatives do, but in this case there doesn't seem to be much choice. The chosen aircraft is state of the art, and any competitors are at least a year or two away from service. Certainly waiting won't make it any less expensive given the accelerating cost of military hardware. Buy it and get it over with.As for the opposition, find things that are worth opposing and hammer the Conservatives there, eg long census, copyright reform, paranoid secrecy, etc.

Rodger in Calgary
said

I'm no expert in this sort of thing, but I'd be willing to say openly that the process of buying state-of-the-art military aircraft is just slightly different than going down to the local Auto Mall to purchase a new car. How many manufacturers exist globally? Is it feasible to even think we can offer this sort of thing out to tender?I'll agree with the idea that we should buy the machine that we know is the best, even if it a more than a machine from another competitor. We can't accept the option of finishing in second place in an dogfight. We have some of the best trained defence pilots in the world, let's give them the best equipment to fly. I think that just makes Common Sense.Thank you.

Josh
said

F35's are the wrong choise here (I work with CF18's by the way). They only have one engine (which requires hydrazine and a whole other type of training for everyone involved with them), they have not been proven in a operational environment, they are too advanced technologicly for no reason, very complex to maintain, etc. The choice here is to get new F18 Super Hornet, 33% bigger than what we have now, very similar to the ones we have now, they have been proven to be very effective for the US Navy to the point that they replace the F14 on aircraft carriers. And to top it off, brand new Super Hornets would be half the price of the F35. so we could get twice as many or spend a lot less for new jets. But we definetly need new jets.

Gerry
said

If the left wing loons from the east were in power it wood be on hold forever.

Chris
said

AWESOME!!! At last new aircraft for our aging CF-18 fighters!!! CF-18's can still be used for domestic protection, but we definitely need the CF-35s for foreign operations!!! God bless our country, and God bless our government for pulling through for our troops!!!

gus
said

No bids, no transparecy. Some funny business going on here.

kkirkham
said

Hmmm, I wonder why Canadians have some trust issues about what both major political parties say about this. Previous Conservative government leader involved in a kick back scandal over buying aircraft, the the Liberals canceled a contract to replace the Sea King helicopter that absolutely cost service men their lives to keep on flying it. So now Ignatieff wants to cancel the J35 contract- just remember who committed our armed forces to Afghanistan at a time they were so woefully equipped. If both parties when they are in government want our young men and women to fight then we had darned well give something to fight with- and I am not advocating fighting or combat by any means. Both parties play politics with the lives of our service men and women.

CK
said

Wonder how much the memorandum of understanding would cost to get out of?

Citizen
said

Andre, georgian bay - Ya I do remember the Avro Arrow, it was the most state of the art plane ever built, and would have made Canada the leader in Aerospace design. It was from that aircraft that the US built not only their stealth bombers but also the space shuttle.These fighters are a must, If the Liberals hadn't allowed the state of our armed forces to deteriorate then perhaps we could have waited but we can't. The best thing about this is that most will be built in Canada, at a time when our aeronautics industry needs a hand, and Canadians need work. This kills two birds with one stone.Plus these are amazing planes that will make Canada the envy of many modern nations. If we do a good job building them we might get orders to build more for other countries.

Gord McFArlane
said

Yes, sounds like the helicopter purchase - which, when canceled only killed a dozen service-men who had to fly obsolete equipment.

Mitch
said

There are certain things that shouldn't be put up to competitive bids. Building a deck? shop around... I would not like to see the Chinese knock-off version for our Military. You can't have competing bids when there's only one company who makes the product you want.

Mead
said

We all know what the tendering process is like. You get a generic bland useless product that meets all criteria of the spec, but does nothing else. If you want the best, you do research on the best and buy it. Who wants a high tech fighter jet sourced from Europe, built on a tight budget, to the lowest common denominator on a generic spec sheet.

J
said

Now hopefully we can prepare ourselves for the inevitable U.S.A invasion of Canada.

LDL in ONT
said

If the Liberals had their way the F-35 would be stripped down to look more like a single prop Cessna. (Slapped together by the lowest bidder no doubt) Good job PM Harper !

Art
said

The Liberals have in the past decimated the Canadian Armed Forces. The cancelling of the Sea King replacement helicopters is a perfect example.Now they want to cancell this contract ,
( it costs millions of $ to cancell a contract ). Then under a liberal government we will have 40 year old fighter jets ( crashing ) and if we ever get around to replacing them it will cost twice as much. Sometimes an open bid process is not required or advisable. If you're shopping for a particular need and one company fits that need best , then you buy from them period.

B. Kelley, Ontario
said

The Liberals just can't stand the idea of Canada having a properly equipped military. Remember the Chretien years when our soldiers didn't even have enough uniforms to go around? Remember the Bosnian situation when our CF-18's couldn't be used because their communications equipment was so outdated they couldn't talk with other NATO aircraft? Remember our soldiers showing up in Afghanistan with jungle camouflage combat uniforms? It's not a matter of using contract tenders, it's a matter of providing our fighting men and women with the best we can get as soon as we can get it. On behalf of our armed forces, thank you so much Mr. Chretien and the Liberals for making us the laughing stock of the military world. Now, Mr. Ignatieff, get out of the way and let our government do the job you wouldn't do.

sandman
said

@ Albertaboy: Here's a quote from Sun Tzu you should take to heart.. "When in peace prepare for war, when in war prepare for peace." Think about it. I applaud the decision to buy this jet! It's probably second only to the F-22 Raptor (which the Americans aren't exporting yet) and arguably to the Typhoon. It's about time someone made a procurement decision based more on capability than politics and economics. The only problem I see is that we didn't buy enough of them, 65 jets just aren't enough to do the job. I say to hell with the politics, just provide our military with the best tools for the job. Our nation's security is too important to play politics.

Nighttrain
said

Are any of you "power projecting" conservative clowns good at math? $9Billion for 65 planes works out to $138 MILLION EACH.$138 Million per plane to purchase!If warfare in the 21st century isn't going to be much about air-to-air combat against other nation-states' airforces but rather asymetric warfare against mountain nomads with a few cheap surface-to-air missiles, do you really think an air-superiority fighter that costs 138 MILLION each will be risked in close ground support of our troops?Support the troops indeed! But this ain't the tool to do so!!

remember G20/G8
said

Obviously Harper has a lot of Money to spend... He spent over a billion on the G8/G20 and the fake lake. And while he has asked other countries for financial restraint and to cut deficits, Harper has no hesitation to put future generations deeper into debt by spending without tender another $16 billion. It would be nice to have the F35's, but can this wait? ... Until we get out of the recession for real?

JB in Ontario
said

It is forward thinking about the Canadian airforce that will see an incredible jet replace the aging CF-18's. The Conservatives have made some very good decisions about buying equipment for our Armed Forces. The F-35 jet is state of the art and will allow Canadians to defend our airspace and be used in combat if necessary.The new Hercules and heavy lift aircraft and helicopters were also a very good purchase. If the Liberals had their way, we wouldn't have a military because they would delay any purchases. The airframes of many of our aircraft are getting old and it is good the Conservatives recognize that.

George in Calgary
said

How many PEOPLE DIED because the Sea King helicopters weren't replaced in a timely manner? And at what price to cancel that contract? ($500 million...)Let's not make the same mistake with the CF-18s.

M.M.B. Ont
said

It's about time Canada provided good equipment for our Military. The Liberals had no qualms about buying Leaky subs during Chretians tenure from Britian, wasting taxpayers money and cancelling another contract for helicopters which wasted millions of our taxpayers dollars. (Wonder where does leaky subs are tiday). Sir Iggy is touring Canada for the second time in a year to hear what Canadians have to say. I guess he didn't hear us the first time. Perhaps this is his way of telling Canadians how bad Harper is and calling Harper ' Satan' and smelly like rotten eggs. Dispicable behaviour on the part of an unelected and self appointed Opposition Leader who wants to slip into the Prime Minister's by deflamation of another's character. His bus should be heading south to the White House to sit in Obama's back pocket while Canada can move on ahead and provide our Men and women with proper equipment to defend this country.

Ron
said

We need to avoid the Sea King scenario. Chretien failed to replace the Sea King knowing full well that maintenance failures would occur and kill/injure Canadian soldiers.

Canada has been cannibalizing its CF18's to keep its diminishing fleet operating. Garneau of the Liberals claims that the upgrades made to the fleet will keep them flying 7 more years. Does that mean we don't phase things in? It takes a long time to train pilots, maintenance, etc. on these things. Now is the time to start that process!!

As for the 'sole sourcing'. We share facilities with the US. Exactly what jets to they fly? oh yeah. There are maintenance, parts, facilities advantages to using this platform.

What would you rather Canada do? buy a bunch of aging Tornadoes from Europe who's best before date rivals that of the CF18s? Start buying Russian jets? There just aren't any realistic alternative options, unless you want to spend additional billions to have something 'else' designed... and it wouldn't be ready to fly for another 10-15 years. (and, frankly, won't be as good)

Sattish
said

I don't disagree with the purchase; however I would certainly hope that the investment would create lots of jobs for our fellow Canadians rather than funneling South like the other contracts awarded that did not create any jobs.

Cody
said

@albertaboy: You spend money on defence in peacetime to ensure that you remain in peacetime. It's amazing how many people bash the Americans considering that they have shouldered our national defense for decades. Canada would not stand a chance without U.S. protection. The Americans have been reducing their their forces during that same time. We need to at least make a contribution to our own security, and i'm afraid being polite won't do much to protect natural interests or resources. 65 jets for the second largest land mass in the world is far less than what we need, but better than nothing.

Christopher
said

Typical Liberal nonsense. How can anyone take Iggy seriously?This man is an absolute joke. The Cons are trying to move forward with the best option for our troops (they deserve it), and do so in a timely manner. Unlike what the Libs did with the helicopter farce, cancel the contract and then do nothing. Of course Iggy figures Canada doesn't need an armed forces as he can just call his fellow American buddies for anything.

Rob Altoft
said

Canada should have bought a twin engine fighter to replace the F-18. Long arctic patrols in a single engine aircraft are creepy when you know if your engine quits nothing can save you. The export version of the f-35 doesn't even get the US radar obsorbing paint. There are many other "US only" items removed on the export version that make it not much better than the stealthier 4th generation fighters yet it carries a very weak payload and has terrible range. F-15 Silent Eagle coming out soon would have been the best logical purchase....but this is the government and logical results are the exeption.

happy
said

I don't think anyone is denying that we need new equipment. It's the process by which the contract was awarded that is in question. Why don't the Conservatives want to be accountable and transparent and have an open bidding process? The Conservatives have never really been transparent and accountable though and that's the problem.

rotorwash67
said

Hey Albertaboy111, the families of the 150 soldiers that have made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan might argue that this is not a contract signed "in peacetime."It's a big bad world out there. Thank god we have a government in power that is willing to action to protect our great country.

hollinm
said

Its amazing how military procurements are always subject to such dispute. We now have F18's and they are becoming obsolete. The government is moving to replace them in due course. The next issue is sole source contract. I would like to see the critics come up with the names of those companies that can give a serious quote. They are not like convenience stores on every corner. These are sophisticated aircraft with a limited number of companies able to do the job. Instead of fighting over whether we do them or single source contracting lets congratulate the government for planning to replace the tired F 18's.

PBW
said

This purchase is the most logical, and has the benefit of having the manufacturer on the same continent. The days when an airforce or naval airforce could afford to have multiple suppliers and multiple airframes, with all the attendant costs of incompatible spares, are over. By selecting the Joint Strike plane, the government will have easy access to spares, and the planes will be fully compatible with the air force with which they work the most - the US in NORAD. As for Ignatieff's statement about putting the deal on hold: remember that Chretien did the same with replacement helicopters for the Sea Kings, actually spending millions of public money to get out of the contract, - and those 1950's-era machines are STILL in use, their replacements only just coming on line after 20 years. If we leave it to Liberals, our F18's will end up like the Sea Kings, costing way more in maintenance than it costs to actually fly them. I hope that this purchase takes place, as it will probably bring work to OUR aerospace industry instead of that of France or Britain.

CF-18 Tech in Cool Pool
said

Mark ~ I agree 100% It was the Liberals that started the initial investment in the JSF program. And now that the Conservatives have finished the deal and ultimately will take credit for replacing the 34 year old F18's (once the first JSF lands in Cold Lake). The public needs to be reminded that the Liberals have in fact cost the taxers more $$$$$ in cancelled deals than the Conservatives. For Ignatief to threaten to cancel is comlete hippocricy. If he really wants support from the people he needs to support the Conservatives signatures on the deal! Can't wait to start work on those CF-35's!!! WAY TO GO HARPER!

Sean in Toronto
said

It is so painful to hear the liberals whine about this being a bad decision. A large sum of money was "sole-source" awarded to this plane back in the Chr�tien/Martin governments.

The liberals can't propose any solution, nor can they identify any problem, nor can they even keep their own bus running. All we hear is mindless insults.

Peter Rapsey
said

This government would defend that decision It is along the same line as spending 1.2 B on a 3 day event. their priorities are all wrong.

Jenn
said

I'm so glad to see that the Conservatives are implementing important military upgrades. Thank you for making military safety and effectiveness a priority! I know the Liberals are complaining, as usual, but a cheaper plane is not a better plane. Would you fly across the country in an airline that advertised that it flies the cheapest jets available? Probably not. Let's not expect our military to do it.

Island Man
said

I'm curious how we decide how many planes we need? Or how many ships or tanks? Is a Statement of Requirements ever produced outlining what we need, why we neeed it and when it's needed? Has a business case been produced for a sole source requirement? I think Canadians should be told these things when our tax dollars are spent regardless of the procurment source.I am not surprised we are in step with the US on this but it would be nice to know more about the direction the government is taking our military and what the total cost will be.

Ontario Taxpayer
said

Remember the AVRO Arrow?? What has that got to do with anything? It was liberal project (St laureant and CD Howe) that was scrapped by a new Conservative PM at the request of the RCAF. He however went overboard and instead of benefitting from the economic offsets that could have been provided, chose to destroy everything. Your comment has nothing to do with the F35 purchase! It is a good urchase and for the uninformed we have been involved in this project since its inception 15 years ago.....so it was a Liberal government that put us on the road to purchase this aircraft. The current Liberals are hoping to exploit the average Canadians ignorance of the process and score cheap political points. I am embarassed to say that Marc Garneau was a member of the CF as he has sold us out fast for political hit points! Shame!

MarkinTO
said

Just like the EH-101 debacle it was the liberals that already spent money investing us into the F-35 program, it's just flip-flopping for them to say they'll cancel it .The CF-18's need to be replaced and the F-35 is the best replacement possible, it's just nonsense that we would replace our aging fleet with something made in Russia or even the Eurofighter (which would be slightly less retarded but still inconceivable). Iggy you're not going to make new friends by threatening to cut off the knees of our air force and putting our pilots at risk just for a sound bite.

Sober, Newmarket
said

The tender may not be competitive, but the planes sure are. Go for the best is the way to go.

T-Rex in AB
said

Yes, Andre, I remember the GREAT AVRO ARROW! Diefenbaker was under extreme political pressure from the US to cease manufacture. You can't compare the demise of the Arrow and the Conservatives of that era with the JSF and the Conservatives of today. The Arrow was to be made in Canada where the JSF is a multi-national construction process.

Albertaboy111
said

They are trying to make better friends with the people at Lockheed Martin just as their American idols have done for years, that's why we are just giving them the contract. Remember when Canada used to spend money on it's people instead of massive military contracts to be signed during peacetime?

Syl
said

Ignatieff says he would put the purchase on hold if he were elected. Then the Liberals would probably pay millions to cancel the contract and purchase used planes from the British.

Andre, georgian bay
said

Remember the Avro Arrow. That was also a conservative government.

Dean in Abby
said

Typical Liberal attitude. Talk tough but do nothing. Just another nail in the Liberal political coffin. And speaking of "coffin' ", how's the bus doin' fellas? Haven't heard a word about this travelling road show since the Harper garage had to fix it for you. Ain't that ironic. Probably a sign of things to come.

SpenBC
said

The Libs will crap all over this but will they offer an intelligent alternative for an obviously aging fleet of strategic fighters like the F18. No, they will fixate on the 16 Bill, which is a 40 year cost estimate, and try to make it seem our government is about to spend 16 bill this year. They will be aided and abetted by the press in this. Meanwhile down the road our troops will be in a situation like they are today, called upon to do a dangerous job without adequate back up. Just ask our troops in currently overseas, who have to rent transport helicopters, how they feel about the cancelling of the helicopter order in the early 90's!Crap on this only if you have a viable alternative! We must maintain our military in todays world.

Eric Lyons
said

Our canadian military equipment is ridiculous, we need an army that might actually be able to defend ourselves, why in heck haggle in the parliment over this for years! Just buy the darn things....

Chris in Kingston
said

Is there any other new aircraft that can come close to what a F-35 can provide? Numerous other nations are going to have variants of this aircraft, making parts, training, and interoperability very easy to come by and accomplish. Our CF18s are over 25 years old. Most people wouldn't drive a car over 10 years old, yet we fly multi-million part, supersonic aircraft...Finally, a government that won't spend 15 years in a procurement process to buy a top of the line item which was only top of line 15 years ago when the process started. Canada will now be on the cutting edge of Aerospace defense, and can project our power accordingly like a G8 nation should be able too.

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Labour Minister Lisa Raitt appears on CTV's Power Play on Monday, May 28, 2012.

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