Radio-Canada and The Toronto Star report the Con candidate running in Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing is still employed by CFN Consultants, a company that lobbied the Harper Regime on behalf of Lockheed Martin. Lobbyists from CFN Consultants represent a large number of manufacturers of military equipment.
It was Conservative Leader Stephen Harper’s party that initially cracked down on the cozy relationship between federal politicians and lobbyists. When first elected, the Tories legislated a five-year ban on lobbying by former politicians and political staffers.
The Harper Regime was *negociating* with U.S. company Lockheed Martin for the purchase of 65 stealth fighters F-35 Lightning II. It estimated the total cost of ownership, maintenance and updating of equipment to be $16 billion.
But Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page presented information that the cost could actually exceed $29 billion because of many uncertainties. The Opposition also questioned the veracity of industrial benefits that will be generated by the project, valued to be worth $12 billion by Industry Canada, though this claim cannot be substantiated.
But Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page presented information that the cost could actually exceed $29 billion because of many uncertainties. The Opposition also questioned the veracity of industrial benefits that will be generated by the project, valued to be worth $12 billion by Industry Canada, though this claim cannot be substantiated.
1 comment:
The online lobbyists' registry contains details of Sturgeon's mercenary politics up until the end of last year. I'm sure he's technically not employed by CFN now (maybe he was 24 hours ago), but I think it's a safe bet he'll be back there if he loses the election.
Lobbyists are a plague on democracy.
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