Â鶹´«Ã½

Politics

    • Boeing told its bid to sell fighter jets to Canada did not meet Ottawa's requirements

    Military personnel guide a CF-18 Hornet into position at the CFB Cold Lake, in Cold Lake, Alta., on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014. (The Canadian Press/Jason Franson) Military personnel guide a CF-18 Hornet into position at the CFB Cold Lake, in Cold Lake, Alta., on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014. (The Canadian Press/Jason Franson)
    Share
    OTTAWA -

    Boeing has been told that its bid to replace Canada's aging CF-18s with a new fleet of the American company's Super Hornet fighter jets did not meet the federal government's requirements.

    Three sources from industry and government say the message was delivered Wednesday as the other two companies competing for the $19-billion contract -- U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin and Swedish firm Saab -- were told they met the government's requirements.

    The three sources were all granted anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss these matters publicly.

    The Department of National Defence and Public Services and Procurement Canada, which is managing the competition on behalf of the federal government, did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

    Companies had been ordered to show their fighter jet was able to meet the military's requirements for missions at home and abroad, but also that winning the contract would result in substantial economic benefits to Canada.

    However, while Boeing's failure to meet the requirements would appear to disqualify the Super Hornet from the competition, leaving only Lockheed Martin's F-35 and Saab's Gripen fighter jet in the running, none of the companies have been told whether they are still in or out.

    A Boeing spokesperson said the company would reserve comment pending official notification from the government.

    News that one of the two U.S. companies competing for the contract failed to meet one or more of the requirements is the latest twist in what has already been a long and often unpredictable road toward replacing Canada's CF-18s.

    Many observers had seen the Super Hornet and F-35 as the only real competition because of Canada's close relationship with the United States, which includes using fighter jets together to defend North American aerospace on a daily basis.

    Those perceptions were only amplified after two other European companies dropped out of the competition before it even started, complaining the government's requirements had stacked the deck in favour of their U.S. rivals.

    Sweden is not a member of NATO or the joint Canadian-American defence command known as Norad, which is responsible for protecting the continent from foreign threats. That had prompted questions about the Gripen's compatibility with U.S. aircraft.

    While Boeing's failure to meet the government's requirements is surprising, said defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, it could also boost the government's assertions that it is running a fair and unbiased competition to replace the CF-18s.

    "It indicates it was genuinely a competitive procurement, which Canada had put an awful lot of effort into ensuring was the case," he said.

    Perry added: "There was a lot of speculation about whether a non-American fighter could actually be a real contender, given Canada's requirements for interoperability with the United States. If they're still in the mix, Saab has obviously met that mark."

    Yet Jeff Collins, an expert on military procurement at the University of Prince Edward Island, said there remain longstanding concerns in some corners that the entire competition has been set up from the beginning to select the F-35.

    Choosing a different fighter, he added, would represent a major break from Canada's closest allies, the majority of which are buying the F-35.

    Canada first joined the U.S. and other allies as a partner in developing the F-35 in 1997 and has since paid US$613 million to stay at the table. Partners get a discount when purchasing the jets and compete for billions of dollars in contracts associated with building and maintaining them.

    Stephen Harper's Conservative government then committed to buying 65 F-35s without a competition in 2010, before concerns about the stealth fighter's cost and capabilities forced it back to the drawing board.

    The Liberals promised in 2015 not to buy the F-35, but to instead launch an open competition to replace the CF-18s. They later planned to buy 18 Super Hornets without a competition as an "interim" measure to ensure Canada had enough aircraft until permanent replacements could be purchased.

    Some at the time questioned that plan, suggesting the Liberals were trying to find a way to lock Canada into the Super Hornet without opening itself up to a legal challenge from Lockheed Martin or any other jet makers.

    But the government cancelled the plan after Boeing launched a trade dispute with Montreal aerospace firm Bombardier over the latter's C-Series planes. It later introduced a penalty on firms seeking a federal contract who have launched a trade dispute with Canada.

    Collins questioned whether the so-called "Boeing clause" played any part in the fighter jet competition, though officials have previously said it was not a factor as the dispute was resolved in Bombardier's favour in 2018.

    Meanwhile, the government has been forced to invest hundreds of millions of additional dollars into the CF-18 fleet to keep it flying until a replacement can be delivered. The government has said it plans to name a winner in the coming months, with the first plane delivered in 2025.

    The last plane isn't scheduled to arrive until 2032, at which point the CF-18s will have been around for 50 years.

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2021.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

    An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    opinion

    opinion How to make the most out of your TFSA

    The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.

    Canada

    • A commemorative rally marking the fourth anniversary of Joyce Echaquan’s death will take place in Ville-Marie on Saturday afternoon.

    • Alberta's premier spoke to calls for an outside, independent investigation into the death of Jon Wells during an incident involving Calgary police last week.

    • The union representing longshore workers at the Port of Montreal says work at two terminals could come to a standstill next week as the union served a 72-hour strike notice today.

    • A child was sent to hospital after being attacked by a coyote in northwest Calgary.

    • Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

    • Toronto police are urging anyone with information, including video footage, to contact them after a man was fatally stabbed in north Scarborough on Saturday evening.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • When the key to a win is work ethic, it is not surprising to see Mattias Ekholm rise to the occasion. Ekholm had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

    • The Toronto Raptors have confirmed that Vince Carter's No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.

    Autos

    • A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

    • A U.S. driver somehow squeezed her vehicle through a parkade hallway at a Metro Vancouver casino Thursday, before getting stuck at an elevator bank.

    Local Spotlight

    A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

    When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.

    A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.

    Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.

    Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.

    A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.

    An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

    Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.

    An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.

    • British Columbia saw a rare unanimous vote in its legislature in October 2019, when members passed a law adopting the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, setting out standards including free, prior and informed consent for actions affecting them.

    • Vancouver's Bloedel Conservatory will be closing for more than two months for repairs, the park board announced last week.

    • A large crowd of people hoping to collect a piece of Toronto history gathered outside the ;Leslieville dollhouse' Sunday, as the new owners of the beloved east-end home gave away the dolls, toys, knick-knacks, and teddy bears that covered the property.

    • One person was injured in a stabbing at Moss Park early Sunday morning, Toronto police say.

    • A child was sent to hospital after being attacked by a coyote in northwest Calgary.

    • Alberta's premier spoke to calls for an outside, independent investigation into the death of Jon Wells during an incident involving Calgary police last week.

    • A 23-year-old man sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries following a dispute with another man Saturday night at a bar in Gatineau, Que., police say.

    • A near perfect replica of Lighting McQueen came to Hardy Park in Brockville, Ont. for a meet and greet.

    • The 47th annual Canadian Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Service is taking place Sunday in the capital.

    • Provincial police (SQ) say a head-on crash on Highway 30 in Candiac has left two people dead.

    • A new Crave original series inspired by Leonard Cohen's iconic song "So Long, Marianne" delves into the complex love story between the renowned songwriter and his muse, Marianne Ihlen.

    • Some small Quebec municipalities are considering reducing the size of their city councils due to the challenges of recruiting candidates to run for office.

    • Kim Ruether lifted her son's eyelid and saw his still, dilated pupil staring at the ceiling as he lay on a stretcher in a northwestern Alberta hospital hallway a decade ago. She says she didn't need a doctor to tell her the boy was dead.

    • When the key to a win is work ethic, it is not surprising to see Mattias Ekholm rise to the occasion. Ekholm had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

    • The East Coast Ukrainian Festival kicked off at Pier 21 in Halifax on Saturday, celebrating Ukrainian culture and traditions.

    • Team U.S.A. is the winner of the Pan American Black Bass Championship, which attracted some of the world’s best anglers to Nackawic and Fredericton this past week.

    • As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves change colour, the time for fall suppers has returned in Manitoba.

    • Hundreds gathered in Winnipeg’s Memorial Park Saturday afternoon in a solemn ceremony honouring the lives of fallen firefighters.

    • Vintage collectors from all corners of Canada gathered at Assiniboia Downs Saturday to shop and show off a variety of trinkets and treasures.

    • The Town of Lumsden held their ninth annual Scarecrow festival Saturday.

    • The Saskatchewan Roughriders moved into second place in the CFL's West Division with a 29-16 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.

    • Minister of Health Everett Hindley wrote to healthcare provider unions on Friday inviting them to join a nursing task force, something the government previously said no to.

    • People in Guelph may notice a new addition at the entrance to Franchetto Park in Guelph.

    • A young motorcyclist has been taken to an out-of-region hospital after a single vehicle crash in Woolwich Township.

    • On Saturday evening just before 8:00 p.m., emergency responders were on the scene of a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of 17th Line and 19th Line.

    • Fire crews responded to a structure fire on the 300 block of Ave N South Saturday evening.

    • Saskatoon Police Service has arrested a suspect in connection with two separate stabbing incidents that occurred earlier this month.

    • Minister of Health Everett Hindley wrote to healthcare provider unions on Friday inviting them to join a nursing task force, something the government previously said no to.

    • A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

    • The CEO of the Ottawa Mission is responding to controversial comments made this week by Premier Doug Ford about those living in homeless encampments that received swift blowback from advocates.

    • On Friday, police in Sarnia say that they were sent to a hydro compound on Confederation Street following security alarms being triggered.

    • On Saturday, just before 10:00 p.m., police were called to the intersection of Richmond and Huron Streets for a welfare check.

    • The fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada is on Monday, Sept. 30.

    • A pedestrian has died after reportedly getting struck by an OPP cruiser in Bala early Sunday morning.

    • South Simcoe Police are investigating a fatal collision in Innisfil that occurred early Saturday morning involving a car and a motorcycle.

    • Members of the Southern Georgian Bay OPP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) are sounding the alarm on a rising number of online and phone scams targeting residents.

    • Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

    • The BSI aims to elevate Black academic excellence, promoting scholarship, mentorship, and cultural knowledge.

    • The fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada is on Monday, Sept. 30.

    • British Columbia saw a rare unanimous vote in its legislature in October 2019, when members passed a law adopting the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, setting out standards including free, prior and informed consent for actions affecting them.

    • A man was found dead in a home in the Ditidaht First Nation on Vancouver Island Saturday morning, prompting local council to ask residents to shelter in place.

    • For decades, Melven Jones couldn’t talk about what happened to him as a child. He didn’t even remember it.

    • Fire crews in Vernon, B.C., responded to a large house fire early Saturday morning.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • The sentencing for three men convicted of helping lead and coordinate the COVID-19 protest blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 has been delayed.

    • A 10-year-old boy from Lethbridge is being praised as a hero after a routine summer outing at the pool nearly turned tragic for his friend.

    • A man and woman have been charged after a Lethbridge ice creamery was broken into earlier this week. Staff arrived at Cookie Crimes, in the 300 block of Sixth Street South, just before 5:30 a.m. on Monday to discover the front window broken.

    • Sault residents may notice some commotion on the Algoma University campus over the next two weeks as a team conducts an archaeological search.

    • The Pride crosswalk in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., has been hit by vandalism for the second time in less than three months.

    • Despite a lead at mid-game in front of a near-capacity home crowd, the Sudbury Wolves dropped their first game of their OHL regular season to Barrie, 3-1.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½