The military's failure to purchase new search and rescue planes has led to rare infighting between two federal Conservative cabinet ministers.
Auditor General Michael Ferguson, in his spring report released Tuesday, said the military's persistent failure to buy new search planes was a significant risk that affected the sustainability of Canada's rescue program.
Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose said it was important that government contracting rules be followed and that there be an open competition for new search planes. That's a push back against Defence Minister Peter MacKay and the suggestion Ambrose's department has failed to deliver.
Sources tell CBC News that Ambrose and public works officials are tired of being made out as the bad guys, when they believe it's clear the Defence Department has botched the process.
"Enough is enough," one source said.
MacKay stiffened at the suggestion that the Defence Department should be held accountable for failing to buy new search planes.
"Well, I would disagree that this has gone absolutely nowhere," MacKay said.
A rescue parcel is dropped out the back of a CC-115 Buffalo aircraft in Baring Bay, Nunavut, during search and rescue training in 2012. (Cpl. Jax Kennedy/Canadian Forces Combat Camera) "The reality is, while the process is underway, it has not delivered the aircraft we need, and that our [search and rescue technicians] and our forces deserve," he said.
The program to purchase new search planes was launched in 2002 but the military has been unable to even get a tender out. It carried on for years but later stalled amid allegations the military was trying to rig the bid, in favour of a specific plane.
The military has spent years fighting that allegation and trying to deal with the consequences.
Last year, the program started moving again, under the strict control of a secretariat inside the Department of Public Works.
"It would appear that the aircraft will now reach the request for proposal stage within this calendar year," MacKay said.
This would mean a contract by 2015 — with possible delivery at 2017 — making it 15 years between the launch of the plane program, and the launch of an actual plane.
"Well, it hasn't been acceptable to me," Ambrose said about the process.
Asked if she was dissatisfied with the way the military has handled this, Ambrose paused and said: "I would say we have worked with the military to ensure this is done in an open, fair and competitive way."
With files from James CudmoreAnda sedang membaca artikel tentang
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