tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576246045591350665.post7334823152461672515..comments2024-03-28T08:47:49.207-07:00Comments on Gangsters Out Blog: Harper's conflicted Jets and HelicoptersDennis Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06736981069304416233noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576246045591350665.post-33692073203486244992011-03-30T16:15:55.241-07:002011-03-30T16:15:55.241-07:00You are quite right in that the Harper government ...You are quite right in that the Harper government had nothing to do with the purchase of the Seakings. Much. That was the Mulroney government who the Reform Party broke away from while the Harper Government merged with to get elected.<br /><br />The key thing with the hidden payments of the lobbyists with the Seakings is that it involved Raymond Sturgeon who is a current Harper candidate and was also tied to the lobbying for the F-35s. Hence the déjà vu.<br /><br />I might add that although everyone was in an uproar over Mulroney’s helicopter purchase, the old ones did need to be replaced. The point was the insider trading conflict of interest which always seems to go on like it did with BC Rail. However, the intent behind purchasing so many F-35s reeks of Oil Wars.Dennis Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06736981069304416233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576246045591350665.post-62544519954484940862011-03-30T09:02:29.425-07:002011-03-30T09:02:29.425-07:00Curious about your reference to the Seaking...
As...Curious about your reference to the Seaking...<br /><br />As far as I know, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was authorized to purchase the SeaKing fleet in 1963, when Lester Pearson was the Prime Minister (with a minority govt). At the time, the SeaKing was a good helicopter, and met the needs of the RCN. However, by the 1980's, the air frames of the helicopter were deteriorating and needed replacement: enter the SeaKing Replacement Project of 1983, followed by the New Shipboard Military Aircraft project. In 1987, Muhlroney's govt announced the purchase of the EH-101 helicopter, considered by military personel and pilots as the only appropriate replacement to the aging sea king fleet. Costs for this program increased however, due to the need for replacement of SAR helicopters. The liberals made scraping the helicopter purchase their top priority for the coming election, and did just that in 1993. Which cost canadians $500M. The liberals then ordered a new fleet in 2004, which wouldn't even be ready until 2010... <br /><br />wow. that was long winded. My point is that the harper govt had nothing to do with the purchase of seakings, and nothing to do with the privacy act that was passed in 1997 (by liberals). The same rights of privacy apply to all registered lobbyists, not just conservative affiliated lobbyists. It should be noted that the liberals left Canada's Naval air fleet crippled as a result of its blind opposition to the Conservative initiative to replace the aging, and obsolete seaking. Several embarrassing crashes, and millions in maintenance were wasted due to the liberals in action. <br /><br />The seaking blunder, and purchase of F-35's are apples and oranges. With the SeaKings, the lobbyist's payment and details were hidden. Not the govt's, And it was done fully and totally lawfully.Forest51https://www.blogger.com/profile/12262235115206608831noreply@blogger.com