F-35 purchase called a sham | Defence Observer

National Post columnist Jon Ivison has written a piece that outlines how Canada’s fighter jet competition was rigged right from the beginning to select the Lockheed Martin F-35.

Behind the scenes, defence insiders in Ottawa have always maintained that this was the case. Ivison lays it out for all to see in a column dated April 25. Read his article at:

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/canada-military-industrial-complex-f35-fighter-jets

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/national-post-latest-edition/20240426/281573770759849

Meanwhile, Esprit de Corps publisher Scott Taylor has also weighed in on the debate with a new video, in which he questions whether Canada even needs the F-35.

On Jan. 9, 2023, then Defence Minister Anita Anand announced the Liberal government’s decision to buy the F-35s. National Defence officials confirmed that the full life-cycle cost for the F-35 project would eventually tally $70 billion.

A brief history of the F-35 issue

The announcement followed years of controversy. During the 2015 election campaign, Justin Trudeau vowed his government would never purchase the F-35. He claimed it wasn’t needed and he criticized the previous Conservative government for even considering the purchase.

The Conservative government had its own series of F-35 mishaps. Then Defence Minister Peter MacKay outlined the Conservative government’s CF-18 replacement plan in the House of Commons in May 2010. First he announced to the Commons that Canada would buy the F-35. Ninety minutes later, MacKay told fellow MPs that he misspoke and then he announced there would be an open competition with all aircraft considered. Six weeks after that, ignoring what he previously said, MacKay announced Canada would purchase 65 F-35s.

“We expect to begin taking delivery of the first aircraft in 2016,” MacKay said at the time. “Together with weapons, infrastructure, training simulators and other items, our investment is valued at approximately $9 billion.”

More than a decade ago, in January 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated that Canada had a contract for the purchase of the F-35s. But that was false: there was no contract.

In November 2011, Conservative MP Julian Fantino outlined the government’s F-35 plan. “We will purchase the F-35,” Fantino said. “We’re on record. We’re part of the crusade. We’re not backing down.”

Fast forward to August 2012 with Conservative MP Chris Alexander claiming during an interview on CBC that the Conservatives never said they would buy the F-35. As video of MacKay’s 2010 F-35 purchase announcement was shown in the background, Alexander continued to claim that it was opposition MPs who misled the public into thinking the government stated it would buy the aircraft. As a result, Alexander was roundly mocked for his claims.