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catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:24 pm Post subject: Canada to spend $9B on F-35 fighter jets |
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The Canadian government said Friday it plans to spend $9 billion to purchase a new generation of fighter jets, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay told a news conference in Ottawa that the jets would be purchased from Lockheed Martin, with the first one expected for delivery by 2016
The contract, one of the biggest military equipment purchases in Canadian history, is worth $9 billion, but the full cost could rise to as much $18 billion once the government signs a maintenance contract.
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But the NDP argues even if Canada needs fighter jets, it's not clear it needs these particular ones.
"The issue for the Canadian defence department is, is the F-35 what we want?" said NDP MP Malcolm Allen.
Allen said the jet was built to suit the needs of U.S. forces.
"We are basically buying these for Canadian duties," he said. "New Democrats are fully supportive of the men and women in the armed forces ... but we have to decide what it is they are going to do, and we have not done that." |
Full Article
Greenland will now think twice before invading! |
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Italy37612
Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Location: Somewhere
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Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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The must protect their precious maple syrup reserves! |
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recessiontime

Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Location: Got avatar privileges nyahahaha
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Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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probably spending on it to bomb Iran for Israel. |
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Louis VI
Joined: 05 Jul 2010 Location: In my Kingdom
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Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:39 pm Post subject: |
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Nearly $1000 per taxpayer expense, money going to a U.S. firm which owns the lobbyist group which donates to the Conservative Party. I guess it's good journalism these days not to mention that: bloody right-wing media! |
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pkang0202

Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:00 am Post subject: |
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But the NDP argues even if Canada needs fighter jets, it's not clear it needs these particular ones.
"The issue for the Canadian defence department is, is the F-35 what we want?" said NDP MP Malcolm Allen.
Allen said the jet was built to suit the needs of U.S. forces. |
Joint Strike Fighter is a multipurpose aircraft meant to fill the needs of ALL the armed forces branches (army, navy, air force, national guard, etc...).
It was designed from the get-go to be versatile.
I don't understand what the issue is. Its like the Swiss Army Knife of Fighter Jets. How is it not what you want? |
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Wildbore
Joined: 17 Jun 2009
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:10 am Post subject: |
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Very smart purchase.
I finally feel proud to be Canadian having a government that supports our armed forces with top notch equipment.
Lets do as much as we can now to improve our military, as we all know when the Liberals get re-elected, the armed forces will suffer severe cutbacks. |
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recessiontime

Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Location: Got avatar privileges nyahahaha
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:39 am Post subject: |
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Wildbore wrote: |
Very smart purchase.
I finally feel proud to be Canadian having a government that supports our armed forces with top notch equipment.
Lets do as much as we can now to improve our military, as we all know when the Liberals get re-elected, the armed forces will suffer severe cutbacks. |
shouldn't you go home and join the army then? Or at least take a job back home and pay taxes to your government? Right now, your nationalism is not making much sense. |
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stilicho25
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 3:14 am Post subject: |
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Although in this case I don't believe that Canada needs these planes, I hate the sort of logic that recessiontime uses. You can support the military without joining it. I did join it, but that doesn't give me some holier than thou right to support things that other people can't. On another note, nationalism can be a healthy force if harnessed right. |
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Steelrails

Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:21 am Post subject: |
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I'm guessing Canada probably purchased them more for peripheral reasons than actual 'defense'. Radar, Avionics, etc. etc. things that have civilian applications. |
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catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 9:56 am Post subject: |
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recessiontime wrote: |
probably spending on it to bomb Iran for Israel. |
Canada stayed out of Iraq. If Palin and company get elected in 2012 I feel confident that we will stay out of any war with Iran. |
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catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:01 am Post subject: |
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The tax cuts need to stop. If the military really needs stuff like this Harper and the Conservatives need to stop pretending they are good managers of the country and actually be good managers so we don't plunge into deficit to pay for these things. |
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Adventurer

Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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Canada has been talking about for some time about updating its airforce.
It's nothing new. If Canada engages in missions abroad, it needs the proper aircraft. This, of course, helps the United States which could use the money. One of its major exports is weapons. That would be more money for the war effort, I suppose. |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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Adventurer wrote: |
Canada has been talking about for some time about updating its airforce.
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Must be getting kind of dangerous to keep flying those F-105 Starfighters. |
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recessiontime

Joined: 21 Jun 2010 Location: Got avatar privileges nyahahaha
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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catman wrote: |
recessiontime wrote: |
probably spending on it to bomb Iran for Israel. |
Canada stayed out of Iraq. If Palin and company get elected in 2012 I feel confident that we will stay out of any war with Iran. |
I know for a fact they went to Afghanistan. It's not much of a stretch if they go to Iran. |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: retired
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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recessiontime wrote: |
catman wrote: |
recessiontime wrote: |
probably spending on it to bomb Iran for Israel. |
Canada stayed out of Iraq. If Palin and company get elected in 2012 I feel confident that we will stay out of any war with Iran. |
I know for a fact they went to Afghanistan. It's not much of a stretch if they go to Iran. |
Iran hopefully won't become a land war and attempted occupation. Even if it does, Canada won't participate. If Harper tried to send Canadian forces his government is over as the unite the left movement would have the big issue with which to unite around. Ah. I hope. |
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