Latest news with #DND
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
What will Carney's 15 per cent cut mean for the public service?
Article content 'We'd really love to see the details of how, because the execution is often more complicated than the intention of these exercises,' Khan said, noting that the spending base in the operational budget that is cuttable is between $180-$200 billion. Article content Article content Many departments and agencies could shrink, but DND will likely grow, as the prime minister has promised to reach a NATO pledge to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence by the end of this fiscal year. Article content It might be hard for some public servants to transfer to DND, as the skills required could be different from the expertise government workers have in other departments and agencies. Article content While Champagne asked ministers to come up with 15 per cent in savings, some question whether that will actually be realized. Article content Jason Jacques, the PBO's director general of economic and fiscal analysis, said 'probably not' and that there are 'still a lot of questions' around how the government will approach cuts in an unstable geopolitical context. Article content Article content Jacques added that gutting departments that could need more capacity later in a time of crisis could result in a scramble to 'race back and hire all the people, right?' Article content Khan said he believes the Liberal government may be looking to find 'a pool of opportunities' on what can be cut. Article content 'I think cabinet wants to figure out what's possible, they'll assess the political implications of cutting program spending in certain areas and the feasibility of increasing it,' he said. Article content Can attrition prevent layoffs? Article content In the Liberal campaign platform, Carney promised to find $28 billion in savings for reallocation. Article content 'So it really shouldn't have been a surprise to think that have been telegraphed pretty clearly during the election,' Khan said. Article content Still, Carney's rhetoric promised a side-stepping of cuts to the public service in favour of a so-called cap. During the election, Liberal campaign officials told the Ottawa Citizen that a cap for the public service would be done through attrition, and that more details would emerge in a spending review. Article content Article content Khan said he expects that there could be a 'greater reliance' on attrition than layoffs, due to the upfront costs of providing severance to laid off public servants. Article content Jacques pointed to a surplus in the Public Service Pension Plan that could be leveraged 'if you get creative' to offer incentives for attrition. Article content For example, Jacques pointed to the possibility of omitting pension penalties for early retirement for public servants. Article content By using the pension surplus, Carney's government could avoid the fiscal hit on the government's bottom line. Article content 'So they could decide that they wanted to offer some additional generosity on that front to make things easier on public servants transitioning to the next stage of their career,' he said.
National Post
4 days ago
- Business
- National Post
DND to start construction on new F-35 hangars despite review
Article content 'We'll be taking possession of those 16 F-35 fighter jets in the next several months, by the new year at the latest,' McGuinty told journalists on June 10. Article content That, however, isn't true. Article content The DND statement to the Ottawa Citizen noted that Canada would receive its first four jets in 2026, followed by four in 2027 and four in 2028. The first eight will go to Luke Air Force Base in the United States to enable the training of Canadian pilots, and the first aircraft will come to Canada in 2028, according to the statement. Article content Auditor General Karen Hogan revealed June 10 that the cost of Canada's F-35 purchase had skyrocketed by nearly 50 per cent from $19 billion to $27.7 billion. Article content Another $5.5 billion will be needed to achieve full operation capability for the planes, Hogan added. Article content Part of the increase was because of U.S. concerns over the original design of hangars and other facilities for the stealth fighters to be built at Cold Lake and Bagotville. Those facilities had to be redesigned. Article content Article content Some retired military officers as well as defence analysts from DND-funded think tanks have argued that Canada should proceed with its entire F-35 purchase because it needs to remain a strong ally of the U.S. Article content But retired Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin, the air force general who recommended Canada buy the F-35 fighter jet, now says the purchase should no longer go forward as planned because the U.S. has become so untrustworthy. Article content Critics have pointed out that the U.S. also controls all aspects of software upgrades needed for the F-35 to continue flying. That, in turn, could pose a security risk because of the U.S. shift to a more hostile relationship with Canada.
Toronto Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
DND to start construction on F-35 hangars despite review
Officials confirmed that building new infrastructure for the F-35s will cost more than $2 billion. A U.S. airman directs a F-35 stealth fighter out of a hangar in Alaska in January 2022. Photo by U.S. AIR FORCE The Department of National Defence is proceeding to spend an initial $500 million for two new F-35 hangars even as the Liberal government continues to weigh the decision to purchase of the stealth fighter jet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account But ultimately the new infrastructure that will be needed for the U.S.-built F-35s will cost at least $2 billion, the department confirmed. Construction of the first hangar will begin in Cold Lake, Alta., in the coming months, while work on a similar installation at Bagotville, Que., will start in the fall, DND noted. 'Site preparation has already begun at both locations,' DND spokesperson Kened Sadiku stated in an email.'Construction of the Fighter Squadron Facility is estimated to begin late Summer — early Fall 2025 for Cold Lake and a few months later in Bagotville.' DND did not provide more specific details on the timings for construction. Specifics on the final cost are still unknown, according to the department. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It is too early to confirm the full cost of FFCP (Future Fighter Capability Project) infrastructure at this time,' Sadiku said. 'However, these costs are part of the overall project cost and are evaluated at over $2 billion.' The current plan is for 36 of the 88 incoming CF-35As to be stationed at Bagotville and the remaining 52 at Cold Lake, the DND statement said. 'This new infrastructure will help ensure our personnel have the facilities they need to support the long-term operation and maintenance of the new aircraft,' Sadiku added. The new hangars are specially constructed for the stealth F-35 and must meet requirements set out by the United States government. The new construction comes in the midst of a review ordered by the Liberal government. Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a review of Canada's F-35 purchase in mid-March in the wake of threats against Canadian sovereignty by U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. has become increasingly hostile to Canada, with Trump continuing with his economic efforts to punish Canada and push for this country to become the 51st state. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The review is being conducted by officials with the Royal Canadian Air Force and DND, both organizations that originally played roles in selecting and advocating for the purchase of the F-35. The Liberal government announced in January 2023 it was spending $19 billion to acquire 88 F-35s from the U.S., but at this point Canada has only financially committed to purchasing the first 16 jets which are being built by Lockheed Martin in the U.S. Defence Minister David McGuinty has said the F-35 review is expected to be completed by the end of the summer and will be made public. 'We'll be taking possession of those 16 F-35 fighter jets in the next several months, by the new year at the latest,' McGuinty told journalists on June 10. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. That, however, isn't true. The DND statement to the Ottawa Citizen noted that Canada would receive its first four jets in 2026, followed by four in 2027 and four in 2028. The first eight will go to Luke Air Force Base in the United States to enable the training of Canadian pilots, and the first aircraft will come to Canada in 2028, according to the statement. Auditor General Karen Hogan revealed June 10 that the cost of Canada's F-35 purchase had skyrocketed by nearly 50 per cent from $19 billion to $27.7 billion. Another $5.5 billion will be needed to achieve full operation capability for the planes, Hogan added. Part of the increase was because of U.S. concerns over the original design of hangars and other facilities for the stealth fighters to be built at Cold Lake and Bagotville. Those facilities had to be redesigned. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Some retired military officers as well as defence analysts from DND-funded think tanks have argued that Canada should proceed with its entire F-35 purchase because it needs to remain a strong ally of the U.S. But retired Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin, the air force general who recommended Canada buy the F-35 fighter jet, now says the purchase should no longer go forward as planned because the U.S. has become so untrustworthy. Critics have pointed out that the U.S. also controls all aspects of software upgrades needed for the F-35 to continue flying. That, in turn, could pose a security risk because of the U.S. shift to a more hostile relationship with Canada. David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: Read More Uncategorized NHL NFL Editorials Editorial Cartoons
Ottawa Citizen
5 days ago
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
DND to start construction on F-35 hangars despite review
A U.S. airman directs a F-35 stealth fighter out of a hangar in Alaska in January 2022. Photo by U.S. AIR FORCE The Department of National Defence is proceeding to spend an initial $500 million for two new F-35 hangars even as the Liberal government continues to weigh the decision to purchase of the stealth fighter jet. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors But ultimately the new infrastructure that will be needed for the U.S.-built F-35s will cost at least $2 billion, the department confirmed. Construction of the first hangar will begin in Cold Lake, Alta., in the coming months, while work on a similar installation at Bagotville, Que., will start in the fall, DND noted. 'Site preparation has already begun at both locations,' DND spokesperson Kened Sadiku stated in an email.'Construction of the Fighter Squadron Facility is estimated to begin late Summer — early Fall 2025 for Cold Lake and a few months later in Bagotville.' DND did not provide more specific details on the timings for construction. Specifics on the final cost are still unknown, according to the department. 'It is too early to confirm the full cost of FFCP (Future Fighter Capability Project) infrastructure at this time,' Sadiku said. 'However, these costs are part of the overall project cost and are evaluated at over $2 billion.' The current plan is for 36 of the 88 incoming CF-35As to be stationed at Bagotville and the remaining 52 at Cold Lake, the DND statement said. 'This new infrastructure will help ensure our personnel have the facilities they need to support the long-term operation and maintenance of the new aircraft,' Sadiku added. The new hangars are specially constructed for the stealth F-35 and must meet requirements set out by the United States government. The new construction comes in the midst of a review ordered by the Liberal government. Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a review of Canada's F-35 purchase in mid-March in the wake of threats against Canadian sovereignty by U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. has become increasingly hostile to Canada, with Trump continuing with his economic efforts to punish Canada and push for this country to become the 51st state. The review is being conducted by officials with the Royal Canadian Air Force and DND, both organizations that originally played roles in selecting and advocating for the purchase of the F-35. The Liberal government announced in January 2023 it was spending $19 billion to acquire 88 F-35s from the U.S., but at this point Canada has only financially committed to purchasing the first 16 jets which are being built by Lockheed Martin in the U.S.
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Teodoro: Dual citizenship report part of smear campaign
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Tuesday called a smear campaign the article questioning his alleged dual citizenship. 'Ito'y hindi lang fake news kundi smear campaign. Kasi hindi hiningi yung side ko na puwede ko namang ipaliwanag. Basta na lang nilabas. At alam nila na pupulutin ito,' Teodoro said in a radio interview. (This is not just fake news but a smear campaign .tTey didn't ask for my side, which I could have explained. They just put it out there. And they know it will be picked up.) To protect his source, Teodoro opted not to disclose what or who is behind the 'smear campaign' against him. 'Ngayon na iniisip-isip ko siguradong napakalalim ng pagkagawa kasi itinanim sa isang pahayagan na kilala na bumabatikos sa ating mga patakaran laban sa Tsina. Tapos sigurado ituturo ito doon,' he said. (Now that I think about it, it must have been done very deeply because it was planted in a newspaper that is known for criticizing of our policies against China. And most certainly, it will definitely point to such an issue.) 'Kung gusto kayo ng tao, kayo naman ang mangingibabaw. Hindi na kailangan siguro sirain 'yung iba,' he added. (If people like you, you will prevail. There's probably no need to destroy [the reputation of] others.) On Monday, the Department of National Defense (DND) clarified the reported Maltese passport of Teodoro had been renounced as early as 2021. DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong made the statement following a media report questioning Teodoro's alleged dual citizenship, which is prohibited for Cabinet members. 'The alleged existing Maltese passport of Sec. Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. was surrendered and renounced prior to the filing of his certificate of candidacy in 2021 for the 2022 elections,' Andolong said. 'Its existence was disclosed to the Bureau of Immigration and Comelec prior to the 2022 elections, as well as to the Committee on Appointments prior to their confirmation of his appointment as Defense Secretary,' he added. — RF, GMA Integrated News
