Roundup: F-35s flare up again

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Talk of the F-35 fighters dominated the discussion yesterday, with Harper going full-bore on trying to say that Trudeau was living on some other planet if he thought that pulling out of the F-35 programme wouldn’t “crater” the country’s aerospace industry, while Mulcair – a vocal critic of the F-35s for years – suddenly said they should stay in the competition process. Of course, it sounds increasingly like Harper is trying to indicate the F-35s are the government’s choice all along no matter the procurement process that they’re going through right now with great fanfare, while Mulcair sounds increasingly like Harper – something Trudeau probably doesn’t mind. As a reality check, there are no contracts to tear-up, because we haven’t signed or committed to anything. As well, there is no guarantee that Canada pulling out of the F-35s would damage our industry because those companies supplying parts for the aircraft were chosen for quality, and because we paid into the development process, but didn’t commit to buying the full craft itself. Not to mention, any other plane we would go with (say, the Super Hornets) would have the likelihood of as many if not more regional industrial benefits. (And while we’re on the subject of reality checks, the Liberals apparently really bungled their costing figures for the F-35s in their own backgrounders). As for how you can have an open competition but exclude the F-35s? I don’t think that’s rocket science – it seems pretty clear to me that you simply add the specification to the procurement process that it needs to have more than one engine. That would rule out the F-35 pretty effectively, no? Suffice to say, it’s a lot of sound and fury, and plenty of flashbacks to the last election where this was an issue. Paul Wells writes more about it, and how it positions the leaders.

On the campaign:

  • Stephen Harper reiterated his home renovation tax credit and RRSPs-for-downpayments pledge, and we get a lesson in corporate-branded political events.
  • Thomas Mulcair promised more help for veterans.
  • Justin Trudeau pledged support for personal support workers (video) and took questions about F-35s and his deficit plans.
  • Here’s the Monday campaign roundup.

Good reads:

  • Ruh-roh! It seems that Terry Fox’s family did not take kindly to the Conservatives politicizing their organization with a funding promise.
  • There is talk of National Defence “weaponizing” their public affairs, leaking “good news” stories to reporters they like and trying to discredit “troublemakers.”
  • While the NDP keep touting Quebec’s childcare system as a model for Canada, a new study shows poor non-cognitive outcomes for the children in the system.
  • Corrections Canada is now offering expensive Hepatitis C medications to prisoners, but one wonders if they shouldn’t have cut so much harm prevention spending first.
  • The Conservatives’ dragging their feet on the Syrian refugee crisis is turning them off with some Christian communities.
  • The NDP’s messaging on niqabs is a bit muddled.
  • Elections Canada is warning against “dirty tricks” designed to suppress the vote.
  • Maclean’s does some fact checking on Harper’s comments on the housing market.
  • Stephen Gordon explains corporate taxes for you.
  • Emmett Macfarlane writes about the Senate reform/abolition agenda, and the problem of the constitution in that debate.

Odds and ends:

There are suggestions that a photo circulating of a farmer’s field with “Harper” ploughed into it is likely photoshopped.

69 third party groups have now registered with Elections Canada to spend and advertise in the election.

Cabinet ministers were meeting with KPMG while the firm is under investigation for setting up tax havens abroad.

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