But back to the Dropped Penny analogy.
Canada is a member of NATO but we are hardly a member in good standing since we contribute less than half of our annual allotment (less than 1% of GDP compared to the required 2%). Thus it is not surprising that our equipment for all our branches of the military are quickly becoming outdated. For instance, we are still flying the woefully outdated Sea King Helicopters which past their best before date in the early 1980s.
But my story today involves our outdated CF18 Jet Fighters that date back to the 1970s and which too are in desperate need of replacement. NATO favours replacement by Lockheed Martin's F35 Joint Striker Jet and NATO countries, save for Canada, are following suit since military experts say the Joint Striker Jet is far superior to its competitors and due to the fact that it is critical for NATO pilots to operate from a comparable platform.
So what is Canada going alone on and more to the point ..why?
Canada has decided to purchase between 25 and 30 Boeing F/A Super Hornets and is calling it an 'interim step' to give it more time to consider a permanent solution.
But our country has never adequately answered the Why in all of this. Why purchase up to 30 jets, at a cost of over $2 Billion Dollars, even as an interim step, when it is not recommended by NATO?
It never made any sense to me until just the other day...when the proverbial penny fell. I was reading an article that Boeing, the manufacturer of the Super Hornet, is in the process of bringing a trade dispute against Bombardier, Canada's golden hair Quebec Manufacturer of civilian aircraft and railway transportation products.
Boeing was bringing action against Bombardier for unfair and aggressive trade practices and in particular for 'dumping' passenger jets in the United States below cost.
Canada's Prime Minister, the one and only Justin Trudeau, struck back saying that in light of Boeing's action, "Canada is reviewing current military procurement that relates to Boeing". In other words, Trudeau was threatening to withdraw from the agreement to purchase Boeing's Super Hornets.
Could this be the answer why Canada was entering into its interim step to purchase Boeing's Jets in the first place?
Moreover does it have something to do with Bombardier consistently coming out on top when it comes corporate welfare payments from Canada's Federal Government and from its home province of Quebec?
Indeed, over the years billions of taxpayers' money have been spent to support this poorly managed entity. Earlier this year the Feds provided the company with and interest free loan in the sum of $283 million which followed a $1 Billion Dollar Bailout from the Province of Quebec.
It appears that no cost is too great to support Bombardier, and I leave it to you to determine if that also includes the purchase of a bunch of unneeded Jets.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
