F-35 mess puts a hole in Harper’s credibility

[unhappycamper]

http://www.thespec.com/opinion/editorial/article/853957--f-35-mess-puts-a-hole-in-harper-s-credibility



F-35 mess puts a hole in Harper’s credibility
Mon Dec 17 2012 06:00:00

What a gong show. The F-35 stealth fighter debacle is the biggest mess the Harper Conservatives have stepped in. Some are already predicting it will hurt them in the next election. It certainly calls into question their reputation as astute fiscal stewards.

It’s probably a mortal wound to the political career of Defence Minister Peter MacKay, who has been slavish in his devotion to and praise of the program now unravelling before his eyes.

But even more disturbing is this: Credible warnings from credible sources have been sounding for months, both about the aircraft itself and about the single-source method of choosing it, in the absence of a competitive bidding process. MacKay, the ultrapowerful Prime Minister’s Office and Stephen Harper himself have heard them time and again.

But the warnings were treated with casual indifference, until the recently released KPMG audit exposed skyrocketing costs that could top $40 billion.