via The Star Phoenix.
Read the whole thing here.If a competition is to be announced before the 2015 election, an opportune moment would be early in 2014 - in time for the government to take credit for doing "the right thing" by taxpayers, but not so proximal to the vote as to make it appear opportunistic, or risk its once again becoming an election issue. The idea, in other words, is to take the fighter contract off the table politically, while reasserting the Conservatives' reputation as responsible managers of the public purse.That has been made possible, industry insiders believe, by commander of the RCAF Lt. Gen. Yvan Blondin's assertion before the Senate defence committee last March 25, that the Air Force's CF-18s are flyable through 2025. Previously the planes' best-before date was deemed to be 2020.Why the change of heart? The theory making the rounds in Ottawa is twofold. First, members of the caucus and cabinet are acutely aware that they need good-news stories, or at least the absence of more bad news stories, as they head into the preelection period. Second, in the context of U.S. President Barack Obama's continuing chilliness towards the Keystone XL Pipeline, there is a new determination at senior levels of the government to put Canadian industrial regional benefits first, and cut the best deal possible, for the best plane, at the best price, with the greatest economic benefit to Canada.All of which, if true, would appear to be good news. Better late - even very, very late - than never.
