Liberals Must Immediately Launch an Open and Fair Competition to Replace our Fighter Jets

Liberals Must Immediately Launch an Open and Fair Competition
to Replace our Fighter Jets

March 14, 2017, Ottawa, ON – This week, the Liberal government submitted a Letter of Request to the United States government to sole-source 18 Super Hornet fighter jets. In response, James Bezan, Official Opposition Critic for National Defence, and Associate Critic, Pierre Paul-Hus, issued the following statement:

“It has taken the Liberals five months to make this request – five months that could have been used to launch an open and fair competition to actually replace our CF-18s. Instead, the Prime Minister has delayed that process for another five years and is planning to spend billions of dollars on a band aid solution that is not in the best interest of Canada or our allies.

“The decision to purchase 18 Super Hornets as an interim solution has been criticized by experts in Canada and the United States. In an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, thirteen former commanders of the Royal Canadian Air Force noted that this deal will “ultimately damage the nation’s defence posture.” Once again, Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberals are playing dangerously naïve political games to keep bad campaign promises.

“In the United States, concerns have been raised surrounding the interoperability of the Super Hornet and its ability to contribute to the defence of North America. These concerns are significant enough that the Liberals’ request may by rejected by the U.S. Congress resulting in even further delays.

“Instead of putting Canada’s national security, foreign relationships, and industrial benefits at risk, the Liberals should proceed immediately to an open and fair competition.”