National

Harjit Sajjan Going Back To Drawing Board On Fighter Jets, Launching Consultations

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 06 Jul, 2016 11:21 AM

OTTAWA — The Liberal government is launching yet another round of consultations with industry to find a new fighter jet for Canada.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced the approach on Wednesday, as he told industry representatives that only about half of Canada's existing CF-18 fighter jets are capable of flying at any given time.

Sajjan says the government will sit down with fighter jet companies to determine what their aircraft will cost, what economic benefits they can offer Canada and how fast they can deliver.

The minister emphasized the need for speed, warning that Canada can't currently meet its commitments to both NATO and North American defence.

Great discussion in #Vancouver South on Canada's defence policy. Merci de votre participation! #DefenceConsults pic.twitter.com/7XbSUJnQKd
— Harjit Sajjan (@HarjitSajjan) July 5, 2016

The previous Conservative government launched a similar round of consultations with industry several years ago, when it pushed pause on plans to buy the F-35 stealth fighter.

The results of those consultations, which included a review by an independent panel of experts, were largely favourable to the F-35 — which the Liberals promised during the last election they wouldn't buy.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Alberta Bringing In Extra Firefighters To Gain Upper Hand On Fort McMurray Fire

EDMONTON — A massive wildfire that destroyed parts of Fort McMurray hasn't grown in size in the forest around the city and officials are planning a surge of firefighters in the coming days to try to gain the upper hand.

Alberta Bringing In Extra Firefighters To Gain Upper Hand On Fort McMurray Fire

Three-Metre Boa Constrictor Missing From Newfoundland Pet Shop May Be Dangerous Says Manager

Jenette Blanchard of the Wild World store on Humber Street in Corner Brook says the female red-tail boa constrictor was taken out of her enclosure by intruders who broke into the shop between 10 p.m. on Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday.

Three-Metre Boa Constrictor Missing From Newfoundland Pet Shop May Be Dangerous Says Manager

How Social Licence Came To Dominate The Pipeline Debate In Canada

VANCOUVER — When Canadian mining executive Jim Cooney coined the term social licence in 1997, he was talking about building support for mines in developing countries, not resource projects at home.

How Social Licence Came To Dominate The Pipeline Debate In Canada

Abbotsford Police Respond To Gunshot At Hotel, No Evidence Of Injuries

Police say the caller said they believed the shot came from an adjacent suite at the hotel (in the 1800-block of Sumas Way).

Abbotsford Police Respond To Gunshot At Hotel, No Evidence Of Injuries

All-Party Committee Will Study How To Sanction Justin Trudeau For Commons Fracas

One expert says the Liberal majority on the all-party committee of procedure and House affairs means it's unlikely Trudeau will face any punishment.

All-Party Committee Will Study How To Sanction Justin Trudeau For Commons Fracas

Meet The Man Who Will Help Draw The Blueprint For Canada's Economic Future

For Dominic Barton, the invitation to apply his decades worth of experience as an international economic fixer at home was a "duty" he didn't want to pass up.