In early April the government awarded a $105-million contract to a German firm, FFG, to build 13 Leopard armoured engineering vehicles for the Canadian Forces. The only information put out by government was a brief and inaccurate notice stating that the company had been awarded a contract to provide "vehicular power transmission components." The notice also claimed the deal was only for one item.
But defence industry sources say the government is misleading the public; the deal is actually for 13 specialized armoured vehicles, and not transmission parts.
In addition, the upcoming issue of the Canadian Naval Review published by Dalhousie University will report that the Defence Department's Strategic Investment Plan, previously released by the Liberal government, is now considered "a classified document" and cannot be issued to the public. In April, DND informed the Review of the government's new policy.
The investment document outlines a 15-year plan for equipment projects, their budgets and delivery schedules.
Meanwhile, aerospace industry representatives at a meeting in Ottawa several days ago were asked by a senior Public Works official to avoid criticizing the Conservative government's controversial F-35 stealth fighter purchase.
Public Works couldn't comment on that issue, or on why $105 million in new armoured vehicles would be described as transmission parts.
The clampdown on information comes as the Conservatives face accusations they misled Parliament on the true cost of the F-35. The Auditor General recently noted government officials knew the real cost was at least $25 billion. Conservative ministers, however, continued to tell Parliament and the public the cost was only around $14.7 billion. The Conservatives have responded that the $10-billion discrepancy is due to a difference in accounting procedures.
But the F-35 is not the only multi-billion dollar project in trouble. For the second time the government's plan to spend $2 billion on a new Close Combat Vehicle for the army has gone off the rails. The multi-billion dollar upgrade of the Halifax-class frigates is also at risk, according to a report by DND's auditor.
Over the years the Conservative government has instituted a strict policy of controlling the release of information, requiring approvals from both ministers' offices and the Privy Council Office before departments can issue information. The latest moves tighten those restrictions even further, according to DND and industry officials.
But there is increasing frustration from senior officers that the government is also limiting information on issues the military considers "good news."
This week the U.S. Navy announced that a Canadian general and a Canadian admiral would play key roles during a high-profile, 22-nation military exercise taking place in June in the Pacific. DND officials could not get authorization from the government to put out their own press release.
NDP defence critic Jack Harris said the Conservative government has engaged in a pattern of deception when it comes to military equipment spending. "They don't want taxpayers to know where their money is going," he added.
Even seemingly innocuous information about equipment has been subject to the tight controls.
In an unusual move, Defence Minister Peter MacKay recently issued an order to senior generals to cancel a media interview about an unclassified project to buy a small number of robots, despite the desire of officers to discuss the program.
But MacKay's spokesman Jay Paxton said the minister's decision wasn't unusual. He characterized the decision as an example of a defence minister working "with the military in providing information to Canadians."
"There is a constant dialogue, and there always has been between the Office of the Minister and different commanders to ensure Canadians receive accurate information," Paxton added.
He noted the interview was cancelled since no contract had been awarded.
DND officials and Canadian Forces officers say their organization embraces openness and transparency. Privately, however, some note secrecy is increasing, pointing to projects such as the F-35 and the armoured vehicle purchase as examples.
But Paxton has accused the previous Liberal government of not providing information to the public, while praising the Conservatives for efforts to circulate such details.
"The Liberal government chose not to communicate with Canadians on the rust-out in the military equipment, the attrition rate of the Forces and the decay of morale among personnel," Paxton noted in an email a year ago. "This government is rebuilding the Canadian Forces and we encourage officers and defence experts to discuss and explain to Canadians the important investments that Canada is making for the men and women in uniform, including the F35 joint strike fighter."
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Author: David Pugliese
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