Posted on 10/21/2015 4:17:33 PM PDT by keat
The Liberal Party will scrap the Conservatives' troubled F-35 fighter jet program should they assume government, Leader Justin Trudeau announced in Halifax today.
"Our Canadian Forces are in a state of stagnation," Trudeau said to a crowd of supporters at Pier 21 in Halifax, home to the Canadian Museum of Immigration.
In its place, the Liberals said they would launch an "open and transparent competition" to buy more affordable planes to replace Canada's aging CF-18 jets. Trudeau said the money saved by scrapping the F-35 procurement would go primarily to increasing spending on the Royal Canadian Navy.
The primary mission of our fighter aircraft, Trudeau said, is the defence of North America.
Expanding the procurement process for the navy will be a priority, Trudeau said. That includes acquisition of search-and-rescue ships, icebreakers and surface combatants.
He said he would keep the Conservative promise to build Arctic offshore patrol ships originally announced in 2007, and which were due in 2013. The plan was to build as many as eight ships.
In January, the government finally signed a contract guaranteeing delivery of only five of the vessels (and a possibility of a sixth), with the first scheduled for delivery in 2018.
"We are committed to the initial promise of making sure there's at least six ships go through the Halifax shipyards," Trudeau said.
The Liberal leader did not offer a specific number when asked how much today's promises would cost, instead saying that it would save "tens of billions of dollars in the coming decades."
He also added that he intended to move forward with changes to the last verse of the Canadian National Anthem which will henceforth be sung: "Oh, Canada you stand on guard for us."
The MIC is not gonna like this, they need paying clients...
MIC - Military Industrial Complex
WHO CARES??
Joke? No?
The problem with writing about Stalinists is that you can never find anything so lame and weird that they wouldn't do it.
Oh, I learned today that his mom had an affair with Senator Ted Kennedy. That's vomit you're tasting.
ping Of course baby trudeau will have to end airstrikes as in the previous story. see this.
I think the only real threat to Canada is Russian encroachment in the Arctic. Other than that.....
EXACTLY! Why drain the Canadian treasury when Uncle Sugar will run up more debt and protect them anyway?
Canada may regret electing this leftist when the russkies decide to take a bite out of their claims in the Arctic. Will Uncle Sugar bail them out?
Should be fun to see how well whatever they decide to buy (Gripen) will integrate with NORAD systems designed and engineered for US aircraft.
What this definitely signals is that the days of Canada participating in any meaningful way in any sort of joint expeditionary effort is over with.
Works for the rest of NATO.
Canada Ping!
The fact is, the F-35 is questionable so far as capabilities, reliability and of course we know the costs have skyrocketed and will continue to rise way past original estimates.
For Canada’s needs, they would be far better off with the F-22 Raptor. As for what’s left of the Canadian Navy?
The quickest way to replenish and rebuild their current fleet of rusting hulks is to reach an agreement for the equivalent of a ‘lend-lease’ program with the U.S. Reserve (mothballed) ships, a good place to start would be the Beaumont Reserve in Texas, where the USS Tripoli (LPH-1) and the USS Nassau (LHA-4) could form the backbone of a resurgent Canadian Navy.
In Philadelphia, there are a pile of ships that are inactive but could be placed in service, here are just a few:
USS Boone (FFG-28)
USS Hawes (FFG-53)
USS John L. Hall (FFG-32)
USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29)
Those frigates would be highly useful for coastal defense and/or interception and inspection of suspicious foreign vessels.
The Canadian defense establishment is in dire straits and has been for years, and Justin Trudeau had better understand that in order to have any sense of national sovereignty, they can’t just rely on the U.S.
That has been the history of Canada, living under an American umbrella.
His dad? Was virulently anti American.
This c**ksucker is a friend of bathhouse barry , bending to his beck and call. Bombing of islamic targest will be over in 48 hours, and sharia will expand out of Ontario with his blessing.
North America is doomed with fools abound following the lead of the marxist muslim in the White House. Trudeau is one of those idiots.
One thing about trudeau? He came by it honestly, mainly inherited.
Don’t know why anyone would buy the F-35 junk. Payola for some is only reason anyone will.
Canada has a huge responsibility for a tiny country. Its like asking Texas to protect the entire US.
Im betting if this guy last more than a few months Canada will be close to financial collapse. The CAD is already dumping.
He might want to look at the J-10. The Chinese would probably offer him a good price on some of those. Korean T-50s might be in the same price range.
Build ANOTHER wall!
"And we know Uncle Sucker will take care of that."
His mom had affairs with anybody and everybody. No telling who his daddy is
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