Government vows to take action soon on defence contracts
Public Works Minister Diane Finley says the Conservative government will announce a series of big and small defence equipment contracts over the next few months.
Some of the contracts have been in the works for the last nine years, but with an election set for October, the Conservatives hope to undercut criticism they have bungled the purchases of gear for the military.
“Our government will be awarding contracts large and small,” Finley told defence industry representatives at the CANSEC 2015 military trade show in Ottawa on Thursday.
She said contracts for new radars, army trucks and a prototype of a replacement rifle for the Canadian Rangers would be awarded in the coming months.
Industry representatives have been waiting years for some of the contracts to be awarded. For instance, the project to buy 1,500 new trucks for the army was originally announced in 2006.
Finley said the government also expects to take delivery of the first Cyclone helicopter in June. The contract for those maritime helicopters was awarded by the previous Liberal government but the project had run into delays.
Finley also noted that bids for new search-and-rescue aircraft would also be accepted later this year. That project, announced by the Conservatives nine years ago, is still years away from delivering an aircraft.
The Conservatives have faced criticism from both the Liberals and NDP for the many military equipment programs that have run into delays.
But Finley, like other Conservative ministers who attended CANSEC 2015, repeatedly noted that the government has boosted the military’s budget and has had success in purchasing gear for the Canadian Forces.
Finley didn’t, however, provide details on when the government would decide on whether it will lease a converted commercial tanker to fill in as an interim supply ship for the Canadian navy.
The navy announced last year it would decommission its two resupply ships that provided fuel, ammunition, food, spare parts and other supplies to warships at sea. Without such vessels, the navy is limited in what it can do both on international missions and in domestic waters, naval officers acknowledge.
In addition, construction of the Joint Supply Ships, which are to be the replacements for the decommissioned vessels, has been delayed.
As a stopgap measure the navy is looking at leasing a commercial tanker to supply its warships, the Citizen reported last week.
Cabinet was supposed to decide this week about the lease but that didn’t happen. “No decision will be made until the Royal Canadian Navy has evaluated both its needs and its options,” Finley said.
A number of companies have already submitted proposals to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a commercial vessel as an interim resupply ship.