(Wait for it ... How much do you want to bet that Art Eggleton or one of his phartcatchers had a brain phart this week? Specifically, the decision to deny information to the media ... supposedly in the interest of national security ... ? Ha! Or, better yet ... How much do you want to bet some Liberal party weasel will try to pretend these executive jets were really purchased for ... the Dwyer Hill Highlanders ... ? Lastly, get a load of "His Arroganceness" in the Sun article ... what a load of ...)
Friday April 12 2002
‘Security‘ shrouds jet purchase in secrecy
Glen McGregor
The Ottawa Citizen
The Canadair Challenger 604 shown on the company‘s Web site features a luxurious interior with wood grain panelling, a bathroom with marble tiling and brass fixtures, and leather bucket seats. The jets ordered by the government are a more austere version.
Citing unspecified security concerns, the Liberal government is refusing to release details of the contentious $101-million purchase of two Bombardier executive jets.
The Challenger 604s will replace two older versions of the aircraft that are used to fly the prime minister and other cabinet ministers. Although the government made public details of another jet deal with Bombardier last month, Public Works and Government Services Canada says it cannot be as open with this latest contract.
"There is a question of security," said Public Works spokeswoman Jocelyne Limoges, who could not explain the security implications further.
The contract might also reveal confidential information about Bombardier that could jeopardize the company‘s competitive position, Ms. Limoges said.
Instead, she said, anyone seeking more information should file an Access to Information request, a process that can take a month or more.
In March, however, Public Works released details of the $200,000 deal with Bombardier to rent a Global Express executive jet to take the prime minister to the Commonwealth conference in Australia. Those documents were released because they had already been posted on MERX, a government procurement Web site.
But because the purchase of Challengers was sole-sourced and not tendered, there was no reason to put the specifications online. The government sole-sourced the contract to Bombardier because it wanted aircraft compatible with DND‘s existing fleet of four Challengers, two of which will be sold.
The contract to buy the Challenger 604s is thought to contain details about the cabin furnishings and other amenities aboard the aircraft. Although the government contends the jets are not luxurious, the models shown on the Bombardier Web site appear elegantly appointed, with leather bucket seats, wood-grain paneling on the bulkheads and a lavatory embellished by marble tiling and brass fixtures.
In even the most utilitarian configuration, with seating for 12 passengers, the Challenger features "a divan that converts quickly to a berth for a few hours of sleep or a peaceful nap," according to Bombardier‘s promotional material. "Generous executive seats track, swivel and recline, allowing maximum freedom and comfort."
The aircraft is also equipped with a "spacious aft lavatory with fully exposed window (that) doubles as a full-size changing room." The jets have a forward galley that "allows attendant to greet boarding passengers and prepare meals out of view in flight."
Challenger 604s typically sell for between $38.4 million and $41.6 million, depending on the interior configuration. Optional upgrades, such as satellite communications and noise-damping systems, are available at additional cost.
The government paid more because the contract included pilot training and spare parts, a Bombardier spokesman said.
All week, the government had endured angry criticism in the House of Commons over the decision to buy executive aircraft. The issue is politically dicey for the Liberals because, in opposition, the party vilified former prime minister Brian Mulroney for retrofitting an Airbus passenger jet for his own use.
The Liberals dubbed the jet "a flying Taj Mahal" and made much of the fact that Mr. Mulroney, who was fastidious about personal hygiene, had a shower installed in the jet. Like the Challenger 604, the Airbus also had two divans that folded out into berths.
Canadian Alliance defence critic Leon Benoit said yesterday he could see no security reason for keeping the contracts secret.
"That doesn‘t make any sense," he said. "What it is trying to hide the fact that they made a decision in 10 days to buy these for the convenience of the ministers" when it still has not replaced the military‘s aging Sea King search-and-rescue helicopters.
Mr. Benoit said the contracts might prove even more politically embarrassing if they show the aircraft are lavishly appointed. "You‘ve already got the marble bathroom. It looks pretty fancy."
Yesterday in the House of Commons, Defence Minister Art Eggleton repeated the government‘s assertion that the upgraded jets will be less expensive to operate and able to reach destinations in Europe without stopping to refuel. "They are not luxury models, but are more efficient," he said.
The Challenger 604‘s shorter take-off distance will also allow the aircraft to fly into and out of smaller Canadian airports.
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PM ignored objections in buying luxury jets
Full cabinet excluded from discussion on spending $101-million for two planes
By HEATHER SCOFFIELD
Friday, April 12, 2002 – Globe and Mail
OTTAWA -- The Prime Minister rushed through a decision to spend $101-million on two new Challenger executive jets despite objections from senior officials in three departments and bypassed a discussion of the deal with his full cabinet, federal sources say.
The jets are for the use of the Prime Minister and other government officials. The decision caused outrage in the House of Commons because it was announced on March 28, before a long weekend.
The four Challengers now in use are 19 years old and have reportedly experienced serious problems in the past year. The government says the new planes have a longer range, greater fuel efficiency and better avionics. Opposition politicians point out that the Canadian Forces‘ Sea King helicopters are still flying after more than 40 years.
Initially, cabinet ministers were told in a memo from the Privy Council Office that the jet purchase would be discussed in cabinet on March 19 before it went to the Treasury Board for final approval.
The ministers were also warned in the same memo that senior officials in the departments of Justice, Defence and Public Works were concerned that the government was not following proper procedures in buying the jets.
The officials were concerned that the time lines proposed for the deal were too tight, and that the purchase would not be put up for public tender, federal sources said.
But the deal never came up at the full cabinet meeting. After it was approved by the Privy Council Office, it went straight to the Treasury Board, then on to Public Works for approval. Both gave it the nod. Public Works officials were given one day to put the contract together and send the $101-million to Bombardier Inc.
"We were requested to put it together quick and fast," said Denis Paquet, media spokesman for Public Works.
The process shows that the Prime Minister and his government are taking their power for granted, Canadian Alliance defence critic Leon Benoit said. "I think the government has become so complacent and arrogant that they don‘t worry about what things look like," he said. "Normal process? They don‘t bother with that any more."
A Treasury Board spokesman said cabinet approval was not needed for the Challenger purchase, because unlike major defence expenditures, this purchase was off the shelf and low risk.
A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said there was a cabinet process of some kind, and all the proper procedures were followed. She would not give any details.
"There was a cabinet process that went on," Thoren Hudyma said. "It was a government decision."
Mr. Benoit said that a deal of this magnitude with such political consequences would normally require a full-cabinet discussion.
By rushing to finalize the contract by the last business day of the fiscal year, the federal government squeezed the purchase onto the 2001-02 books. The money comes out of the budget of the Department of National Defence, which maintains the fleet of government planes and provides the pilots, but it will be reimbursed out of general revenue in the current fiscal year, officials said yesterday.
By designing the transaction this way, the government prevented Defence Department money left over at year-end from going automatically toward the debt, thus keeping the $101-million in the defence budget for next year.
The government has also proposed adding $4-million a year to the defence budget to cover new operating costs of the jets, federal sources say.
Opposition parties say the purchase shows that the Prime Minister is putting his own access to luxury above the urgent needs of the military. They repeatedly point out that Mr. Chrétien and the Liberals opposed the refurbishment of an Airbus for Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney in 1993, calling the plane a "flying Taj Mahal."
The commanding officer in charge of flying the Prime Minister and his cabinet has said there is nothing wrong with the four Challengers currently in use.
Public Works officials said yesterday that they were justified in handing the contract over to Bombardier without a public tender because Bombardier made the other jets in the government‘s administrative fleet, and the new jets need to be compatible. That‘s because the pilots need to be qualified to fly any of the jets at any time.
Part of the cost will be defrayed by selling two of the old Challenger jets, Ms. Hudyma said from the Prime Minister‘s Office.
She said the decision was prompted by Mr. Chrétien‘s trip to Australia in late February, when he flew in a rented plane, one of Bombardier‘s Global Express business jets. Unlike one of the old Challengers, it did not have to make frequent refuelling stops and did not require an especially large runway for landing.
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PM isn‘t using new jets
By ANNE DAWSON, Sun Media
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- Prime Minister Jean Chretien says he won‘t be using the two new $101-million corporate jets purchased last month by his government.
He said he‘s forced to take much larger military planes when he travels because he has to haul the media along with him.
"I‘m not travelling with these jets. Most of the time, because you‘re travelling with me, I use the military plane. You know that," Chretien said to reporters grilling him about the extravagant expense.
When reminded by reporters that they pay handsomely to travel on the government Airbus - the price of a seat on his six-continent swing through Africa is $12,500 - he cracked that it‘s worth it because they get to travel with him.
"Yes, yes, but you‘re travelling with me. So it‘s the same time, same food - great food," he said.
Chretien tried to distance himself from the deal to purchase two Challenger 604 aircraft, which was quietly announced at the end of the day before the Easter long weekend and has received a lot of bad press and public criticism.
"It is a decision that was made by the government to replace these old jets and it was explained by (Public Works) Minister (Don) Boudria last week," said the PM.
The Canadian-made Bombardier jets were purchased out of the Defence Department‘s budget, even though there has been a huge public outcry against the Chretien Liberals that they have failed to adequately equip the Armed Forces.
Chretien has failed, despite repeated promises, to buy replacements for Canada‘s dilapidated fleet of Sea King helicopters since he was first elected PM in When Canadian troops in Afghanistan had to be ferried overseas by U.S. transport planes to carry out their role in the war against terrorism, Chretien said it was no big deal - it‘s better to rent transport planes than buy them.
Minister of Defence Art Eggleton has defended the purchase of the Challengers on the grounds that the new aircraft have a longer range than the old ones, are more fuel-efficient and can use more runways.
