Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Policy alert

by Aaron Wherry on Friday, April 8, 2011 5:17pm - 9 Comments

Jack Layton promises new national defence priorities.

The New Democrats said they would keep defence spending at $21-billion annually, a number set by the Conservatives in the budget that was rejected in the week before the government fell … Mr. Layton said it is time to go back to “square one” on the F-35s and none of the aircraft should be purchased without first assessing the defence priorities of Canadians. He said an NDP government would produce a white paper on defence in his first year in office, one that would “refocus” the Canadian Forces on defending Canada and Canadians, assisting in times of disaster and supporting peacekeeping efforts around the world. And he is more interested in replacing two supply ships than in buying planes.

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Christopher White

While it's hypothetical, I'd like to hear Mr. Layton's stance on Libya: Was the No Fly Zone a good idea? What will he do in Libya once he's Prime Minister? Also would like to hear about what he would do in Afghanistan. Vague commitments on peacekeeping and disaster relief aren't enough when the country is embroiled in multiple conflicts.

DPT

he must have thought it was a good idea, he and his party voted for it in the house.

OriginalEmily1

Ships would be more useful than fighterplanes, that's for sure.

Longest coastline in the world, drug smuggling, boat people, NW passage…and while they're very slow at getting supplies someplace, you can at least do so with ships.

DPT

planes can cover that shoreline more frequently and faster than ships can, although I agree we need the water borne resources as well.

OriginalEmily1

And do what?
dave

planes can cover that shoreline more frequently and faster than ships can

If you're looking for frequent, the F-35, or really any modern fighter, is the wrong bird; they require too much ground maintenance and eat up too much fuel. You'd be better off with a UAV.

madeyoulook

I read the Globe piece. So Prime Minister elect Layton, will you kiss NATO goodbye before or after your Speech from the Throne? Because the Globe piece doesn't say.
Jan

Let's call this Fantasy Friday – Harper claims he's got a price guarantee on the F 35's.
dave

The problem with the F-35 is rapidly becoming less one of price, and more one of several independent bodies increasingly becoming of the opinion that it's an over-engineered under-performing piece of scrap.

We've birthed a lemon. Go with something proven like Super Hornets and save ourselves a lot of headaches.