Cons@minority%
2012-04-05 22:44:17 UTC
Posted: Apr 5, 2012
True F-35 cost likely known by cabinet, auditor says
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet would have known the cost of acquiring the F-35s was
estimated at $25 billion, not the $15 billion that the public was later told, the auditor
general said Thursday.
Among the revelations in Michael Ferguson's spring report tabled earlier in the week was the
finding that the Department of National Defence estimated in June 2010 that buying and
operating the planes for 20 years would cost around $25 billion. In March 2011, however, the
department responded to a report on F-35 costs by the parliamentary budget officer by saying
his estimates were wrong and the cost would be around $15 billion.
"That was the opportunity that they should have used to come forward with the full costing,
because they had that and that number was known," Ferguson said about the government when he
spoke to reporters after an appearance at the public accounts committee.
"I can't speak to individuals who knew it, but it was information that was prepared within
National Defence, and it's certainly my understanding that that would have been information
that, yes, that the government would have had."
Opposition parties are accusing Harper and his ministers of misleading Parliament and in
question period Thursday they demanded to know precisely when the prime minister knew the $25
billion cost estimate of acquiring the planes.
Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae posed the question three times, but Harper didn't answer it. He
responded that the government accepts Ferguson's recommendation that national defence refine
its cost estimate and that the government hasn't bought the planes yet.
Opposition MPs continued to push the F-35 issue in question period, demanding that someone take
responsibility for the lack of due diligence that Ferguson found in his audit, and asking for
the resignation of Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
When he spoke to reporters, Ferguson would not say that the government misled Parliament, he
said it "missed the opportunity to come forward and say, 'here's what we think the full costing
would be.'"
"I can only frame it as, they had information they should have used that as the opportunity
to bring that forward," he said. Ferguson noted that even the $25 billion estimate has
weaknesses associated with it.
Rae's interpretation of the government's position is that if it accepts Ferguson's report, then
it accepts the fact that it misled Parliament.
"Maybe people have difficulty getting their head around $10 billion but how about getting your
head around the fact that the prime minister has been saying things to Canadians which are
simply not true, for a very long period of time," he told reporters.
*******************************************************
"We CAN look after each other better than we do today.
We CAN have a fiscally responsible government.
We CAN have a strong economy; greater equality; a clean environment.
We CAN be a force for peace in the world." - Jack Layton
True F-35 cost likely known by cabinet, auditor says
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet would have known the cost of acquiring the F-35s was
estimated at $25 billion, not the $15 billion that the public was later told, the auditor
general said Thursday.
Among the revelations in Michael Ferguson's spring report tabled earlier in the week was the
finding that the Department of National Defence estimated in June 2010 that buying and
operating the planes for 20 years would cost around $25 billion. In March 2011, however, the
department responded to a report on F-35 costs by the parliamentary budget officer by saying
his estimates were wrong and the cost would be around $15 billion.
"That was the opportunity that they should have used to come forward with the full costing,
because they had that and that number was known," Ferguson said about the government when he
spoke to reporters after an appearance at the public accounts committee.
"I can't speak to individuals who knew it, but it was information that was prepared within
National Defence, and it's certainly my understanding that that would have been information
that, yes, that the government would have had."
Opposition parties are accusing Harper and his ministers of misleading Parliament and in
question period Thursday they demanded to know precisely when the prime minister knew the $25
billion cost estimate of acquiring the planes.
Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae posed the question three times, but Harper didn't answer it. He
responded that the government accepts Ferguson's recommendation that national defence refine
its cost estimate and that the government hasn't bought the planes yet.
Opposition MPs continued to push the F-35 issue in question period, demanding that someone take
responsibility for the lack of due diligence that Ferguson found in his audit, and asking for
the resignation of Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
When he spoke to reporters, Ferguson would not say that the government misled Parliament, he
said it "missed the opportunity to come forward and say, 'here's what we think the full costing
would be.'"
"I can only frame it as, they had information they should have used that as the opportunity
to bring that forward," he said. Ferguson noted that even the $25 billion estimate has
weaknesses associated with it.
Rae's interpretation of the government's position is that if it accepts Ferguson's report, then
it accepts the fact that it misled Parliament.
"Maybe people have difficulty getting their head around $10 billion but how about getting your
head around the fact that the prime minister has been saying things to Canadians which are
simply not true, for a very long period of time," he told reporters.
*******************************************************
"We CAN look after each other better than we do today.
We CAN have a fiscally responsible government.
We CAN have a strong economy; greater equality; a clean environment.
We CAN be a force for peace in the world." - Jack Layton