Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Thursday, March 22, 2012

MacKay boosts F-35 hopes

OTTAWA - Defence Minister Peter MacKay's enthusiasm for the F-35 fighter jets could put him on a collision course with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"We're still very sure that the F-35 is the right aircraft," MacKay said following an unrelated announcement Thursday in Winnipeg.

That's very different from Harper's comments on the F-35 in question period last week.

"Obviously we will sign a contract when and if it is the appropriate thing to do," Harper said.

Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino also stressed last week the "decision has not yet been made" to buy the F-35.

That leaves open the possibility Canada could go a different route to replace the CF-18 fighters, which have been flying since 1982.

Fantino has already said officials are looking at alternatives to the F-35.

"I'm waiting to hear back from the experts as to what options will ultimately be available to us," he said last week.


But MacKay said plans are already well advanced for getting the F-35.

"So, we have budgeted for and planned for the acquisition of this aircraft," MacKay said. "By all accounts, it's the only fifth generation, stealth aircraft that meets Canada's needs. We're proceeding with that acquisition, but we have not signed a contract as yet, so there's stages that have to be followed and met in this process."

Amid rising costs and production delays for the F-35, Fantino has already said some of the old CF-18s might have to keep flying until 2023.

Original Article
Source: lfpress
Author: Daniel Proussalidis

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