The Harper government’s numbers on the F35 Fighter jets have been questioned by lot of people, including the parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page. Canada’s planned purchase of 65 fighter jets will cost billions more than government has projected, according to a report released in March by Mr. Page. The watchdog’s report came a day after the Conservatives were reprimanded for refusing to release financial details of planned prison construction projects that the opposition also said will cost much more than the government maintains. It turns out, the Conservative’s numbers don’t include the price of engines!
Mr. Harper, it seems, is fonder of spending fighter jets with no engines and prisons despite a decreasing crime rate than providing Canadians with health care and looking after the environment. That’s not my Canada – is it your’s? Remember to vote for democracy on May 2nd (or in the advance poll tomorrow, April 25th) – fill out your ballot for the chance to win the Canada you want!
More links:
U.S. Defense Expert Says Jets Will Cost Double Tory and DND Estimates
Reality Check: Harper’s Five Biggest F-35 Fictions
Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer: Report on Cost of F-35 Fighter Jets
Christine, another report came out (yesterday I think) from a Pentagon official who flatly said that there is NO WAY Stephen Harper will be getting any jets for $75 million each, engines or not. Then the next figure that popped up was $138 million, however that did not include any of the support equipment.
Today I heard on CBC that the Pentagon now expects that the end cost will double. So it appears that we are looking at 1/4 million dollars + for every plane. Not including fries or fuel.
I don’t know about you, but I can sure think of a few ways to spend that kind of change far more effectively.
Thanks, Keith, I did hear it on yesterday’s news, but didn’t have a chance to chase down the link. And now I read, true to form, Harper is continuing to assert his version of reality is the truth, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary – see “Harper dismisses reports of F-35 cost hikes”. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/04/26/cv-election-f-35-costs-316.html
Surely, with this kind of obvious ammunition in the hands of the opposition parties, they can blast Harper to political smithereens (she says wistfully).