In a response to a question by NDP MP Jack Harris, the government says it knows the estimated price tags for its air and ground operations but is refusing to make them public because the situation is “dynamic.”
Instead, Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said in a formal response tabled in the House of Commons that Harris — and all Canadians will have to wait until months after the mission ends before the costs will be revealed.
“Cost estimates are dynamic and evolve with the refinement of planning and operational requirements,” Nicholson said in his response.
“Estimates are updated regularly to support planning efforts and decision-making, and therefore any estimate provided would be inaccurate.”
The minister provided the same response to Harris’ demand for estimates on much the aircraft will fly during the six-month mission as well as the estimated cost per hour.
“The response is pretty pathetic,” Harris said in an interview. “We know they have them. They just refuse to release them.
“Why the closed-mouth from this government? Because they like to live in secrecy.”
Asked in the Commons about the refusal to provide the cost estimates, Nicholson sidestepped the question.
“What I can confirm is that our men and women are actively deployed in the fight against terrorism,” Nicholson said.
“As I have already indicated, there are costs already allotted within the budget, and any incremental costs will be tabled.”
But Harris said the lack of answers impairs debate about what Canada should be doing in the multi-national fight against Islamic extremists, especially given that nations such as the United States routinely provide updates on the cost of their participation in the mission.
According to the U.S. defence department website, as of Jan. 9, the American government had spent $1.3 (U.S.) billion since launching operations last August and was spending an average of $8.3 (U.S.) million a day.
“Other governments see no problem doing so in the interests of democracy. Why are they holding back, it’s a secretive way of doing things,” Harris said.
Harris had demanded to know the cost estimates for both the air campaign — involving nine aircraft operating from a Kuwaiti airbase — as well as the mission by 69 special forces soldiers training local fighters in northern Iraq.
“The question was detailed. The answers were basically non-existent,” he said.
Lt.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command, said last November that military planners had provided the government with an estimate of how much the six-month mission was expected to cost but said it would be up to politicians to decide whether to make it public.
The defence department has also rebuffed a request from the Star under access to information to release the estimated cost.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com/
Author: Bruce Campion-Smith
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