QUESTION PERIOD — National Defence
Aircraft Procurement
March 11, 2020
Honourable senators, my question today is for the government leader in the Senate.
Leader, in 2015, the Liberal Party vowed not to purchase the F-35 stealth fighter aircraft and stated in their election platform, “We will immediately launch an open and transparent competition to replace the CF-18 fighter aircraft.”
Here we are, almost five years later, and still no fighter jets. Not only that, but last month, the government pushed back the deadline for preliminary proposals from the industry from the end of this month to the end of June. Somehow, the Minister of Public Services believes this is an aggressive timeline. I would hate to see what they think a normal timeline would be.
Leader, your government claims the delay was at the request of the industry. But Lockheed Martin and Boeing say they didn’t ask for it, so who did? Also, does your government still plan to sign a contract for new fighter aircraft in 2022, or is that now delayed as well?
Thank you for your question, senator. I am advised that the extension to the deadline was, in fact, at the request of the industry partners. The government continues to work and make its best efforts to get the best plane for the RCAF at the right price. The government position is that it has been consistent in its promise to replace Canada’s existing fighter jet fleet through an open and transparent process. It is the position of this government that it has done the right thing in that regard by making sure we had the right number of jets to meet our NATO and NORAD commitments, and that explains the increase in the number of jets to 88.
Therefore, the government’s position and objective remains the same: to get the best plane for the RCAF at the right price and with the most economic benefit to Canada.
If Lockheed Martin and Boeing didn’t ask for it, who would the Liberal government say is “the industry”? I would like that answered.
Additionally, in January, it was revealed that your government will not conduct any testing of new fighter aircraft under cold-weather conditions. Leader, we are an Arctic country, and this is a procurement worth approximately $19 billion. Why wouldn’t your government conduct cold-weather testing to make sure you are getting the best aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force and for taxpayers?
Thank you for the question. I will make inquiries with regard to the cold-weather testing; I’m not in a position to answer that.
With regard to industry partners, my information is that three fighter planes are in the running: One is Lockheed Martin’s F-35, another is Boeing’s Super Hornet and the third is Saab’s Gripen.
