[R-G] Fwd: RELEASE: Harper to Snub NS Premier, Ignore Calls for DND Spending Freeze
aaron at istop.com
aaron at istop.com
Wed Jul 4 13:27:23 MDT 2007
Forwarded From: Stu Neatby <stu.neatby at gmail.com>
> ------=_Part_117109_13986613.1183568565435
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> *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
>
> *Press Release, **July 4, 2007**
> *
>
> *HARPER TO SNUB NS PREMIER, IGNORE CALLS FOR DND SPENDING FREEZE*
>
> Parliamentary Calls for Defence Spending Freeze Based Upon Review of No-Bid
> Contracts
>
> HALIFAX =96 Prime Minister Stephen Harper's expected defence spending
> announcements during his visit to Halifax will come at a time of
> Parliamentary calls for a freeze in new contracts. According to a report
> released last month by the Rideau Institute, 40% of military contracts in
> the year 2006-2007 have been classified by Business Access Canada as
> "non-competitive," more than double the number from the previous year. In
> response, the opposition Liberal and New Democratic parties have publicly
> called for a moratorium on major defence spending announcements until the
> release of a report by the Auditor General reviewing Canadian defence
> contracts in September.
>
> In the midst of the Federal-Provincial row over the Atlantic Accords,
> Harper's visit to Halifax this week appears to have offered yet another
> public snub to NS Premier Rodney Macdonald, whose office has been left in
> the dark regarding the details of the visit. But accountability has hardly
> been Stephen Harper's strong suit.
>
> "One year after the government announced more than $17 billion in military
> equipment programs, the process in awarding these contracts has been fraugh=
> t
> with charges of unfair competition, favouritism, and secrecy," wrote Steven
> Staples, author of the Rideau Institute's report *No Bang for the Buck,* in
> an op-ed published in the Hill Times on June 18th.
>
> In June of 2006, Canadian Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor announced over
> $17 billion in new defence spending. As part of this announcement, a $3.4
> billion contract for strategic airlift was later designated for Advance
> Contract Award Notice (ACAN), meaning that the "winner" of the contract is
> largely pre-determined. Given Gordon "Cheney Jr" O'Connor's background as a
> lobbyist for defence firms, and the increasing use of ACANs within DND
> procurement contracts, such large announcements appear geared towards
> rewarding politically connected defence contractors such as American firms
> Lockheed Martin and Boeing rather than responsibly using Canadian
> tax-dollars to provide Canadian military personnel with adequate equipment.
>
> Harper has also played a major role in shifting Canadian foreign policy as =
> a
> whole in a heavily militaristic direction. Canadian forces are increasingly
> engaging in disastrously ineffective counter-insurgency operations in South=
> ern
> Afghanistan and have encouraged similar operations from UN forces in Haiti.
> These operations, although perhaps advantageous for military contractors,
> have resulted in high civilian death tolls, as well as dwindling public
> support for the presence of international forces in both nations.
>
> An airstrike carried out by NATO killed between 45 and 80 civilians last
> Friday in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Similarly, UN soldiers killed at
> least 22 civilians in the seaside shantytown of Cite Soleil, Haiti, last
> December according to international journalists and witnesses, in a raid
> that was later applauded by Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mackay in a
> parliamentary paper presented to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
>
> The Halifax Peace Coalition will be organizing an information picket agains=
> t
> the expected defence spending announcements once the shadowy details of
> Harper's schedule become public.
>
> *For More Information*
>
> Steven Staples, Director, Rideau Institute, (613) 565-9449, (c) (613)
> 290-2695, sstaples at rideauinstitute.ca
> <stu.neatby at gmail.com>Tamara Lorincz, Halifax Peace Coalition, (902)
> 443-2423, (c) (902) 478-1379, tlorincz at dal.ca
>
> Stuart Neatby, Halifax Peace Coalition, (902) 405-9480, stu.neatby at gmail.co=
> m
>
> --=20
> Check out the Haiti Art School Project
> users.eastlink.ca/~northstar
>
> ------=_Part_117109_13986613.1183568565435
> Content-Type: text/html; charset=WINDOWS-1252
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
> Content-Disposition: inline
>
>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: center;" align=3D"center"><b st=
> yle=3D""><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">FOR IMMEDIATE RE=
> LEASE</span></b></p>
>
>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: center;" align=3D"center"><b st=
> yle=3D""><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Press Release, <=
> /span></b><b style=3D""><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">J=
> uly 4, 2007</span>
> </b><b style=3D""><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA"><br>&nb=
> sp;</span></b></p>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: center;" align=3D"center"><b st=
> yle=3D""><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">HARPER TO SNUB N=
> S PREMIER,
> IGNORE CALLS FOR DND SPENDING FREEZE</span></b></p>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: center;" align=3D"center"><span=
> style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Parliamentary Calls for Defenc=
> e Spending Freeze Based
> Upon Review of No-Bid Contracts</span></p>
>
>
>
>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"font-s=
> ize: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">HALIFAX</span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt=
> ;" lang=3D"EN-CA"> =96 Prime Minister Stephen Harper's expected
> defence spending announcements during his visit to </span><span style=3D"fo=
> nt-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Halifax</span><span style=3D"font-size: 10=
> .5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA"> will come at a time of Parliamentary calls
> for a freeze in new contracts. According to a report released last month by=
> the
> Rideau Institute, 40% of military contracts in the year 2006-2007 have been=
> classified
> by Business Access </span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA"=
> >Canada</span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA"> as "non-co=
> mpetitive," more than double the
> number from the previous year. In response, the opposition Liberal and New
> Democratic parties have publicly called for a moratorium on major defence
> spending announcements until the release of a report by the Auditor General
> reviewing Canadian defence contracts in September. </span></p>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"font-s=
> ize: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">In the midst of the Federal-Provincial row ove=
> r the
> Atlantic Accords, Harper's visit to </span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt=
> ;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Halifax</span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"=
> EN-CA"> this week appears to have offered yet
> another public snub to NS Premier Rodney Macdonald, whose office has been l=
> eft
> in the dark regarding the details of the visit. But accountability has hard=
> ly
> been Stephen Harper's strong suit.</span></p>
>
>
>
>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"font-s=
> ize: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">"<span class=3D"q">One year after the governme=
> nt announced
> more than $17 billion in military equipment programs, the process in awardi=
> ng
> these contracts has been fraught with charges of unfair competition, favour=
> itism,
> and secrecy," wrote Steven Staples, author of the Rideau Institute's report=
> <i style=3D"">No Bang for the Buck,</i> in an op-ed
> published in the Hill Times on June 18<sup>th</sup>.</span></span><span cla=
> ss=3D"q"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA"> </span></s=
> pan></p>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: justify;"><span class=3D"q"><sp=
> an style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">In June of 2006, Canadian De=
> fence Minister Gordon
> O'Connor announced over $17 billion in new defence spending. As part of thi=
> s
> announcement, a $3.4 billion contract for strategic airlift was later
> designated for Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN), meaning that the "winn=
> er"
> of the contract is largely pre-determined. Given Gordon "Cheney Jr" O'Conno=
> r's
> background as a lobbyist for defence firms, and the increasing use of ACANs=
> within
> DND procurement contracts, such large announcements appear geared towards
> rewarding politically connected defence contractors such as American firms
> Lockheed Martin and Boeing rather than responsibly using Canadian tax-dolla=
> rs
> to provide Canadian military personnel with adequate equipment.</span></spa=
> n></p>
>
>
>
>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: justify;"><span class=3D"q"><sp=
> an style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Harper has also played a maj=
> or role in shifting
> Canadian foreign policy as a whole in a heavily militaristic direction. Can=
> adian
> forces are increasingly engaging in disastrously ineffective counter-insurg=
> ency
> operations in </span></span><span class=3D"q"><span style=3D"font-size: 10.=
> 5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Southern Afghanistan</span></span><span class=3D"q"><s=
> pan style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA"> and have encouraged simila=
> r
> operations from UN forces in </span></span><span class=3D"q"><span style=3D=
> "font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Haiti</span></span><span class=3D"q"><s=
> pan style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">. These operations, althoug=
> h
> perhaps advantageous for military contractors, have resulted in high civili=
> an
> death tolls, as well as dwindling public support for the presence of
> international forces in both nations. </span></span></p>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"font-s=
> ize: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">An airstrike carried out by NATO killed betwee=
> n 45 and
> 80 civilians last Friday in </span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=
> =3D"EN-CA">Helmand Province</span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=
> =3D"EN-CA">, </span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Afgha=
> nistan</span>
> <span style=3D"font-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">. Similarly, UN soldiers =
> killed at least 22
> civilians in the seaside shantytown of Cite Soleil, </span><span style=3D"f=
> ont-size: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Haiti</span><span style=3D"font-size: 10.=
> 5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">, last December according to international
> journalists and witnesses, in a raid that was later applauded by Foreign
> Affairs Minister Peter Mackay in a parliamentary paper presented to the
> Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. </span></p>
>
>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"text-align: justify;"><span style=3D"font-s=
> ize: 10.5pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">The Halifax Peace Coalition will be organizing=
> an
> information picket against the expected defence spending announcements once=
> the
> shadowy details of Harper's schedule become public. </span></p>
>
>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><b style=3D""><u><span style=3D"font-size: 11pt;" la=
> ng=3D"EN-CA">For More Information</span></u></b></p>
>
>
>
> <p class=3D"MsoFooter"><span style=3D"font-size: 11pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">Stev=
> en Staples,
> Director, Rideau Institute, (<span style=3D"color: black;">613) 565-9449, (=
> c) (613)
> 290-2695, <a href=3D"mailto:sstaples at rideauinstitute.ca">sstaples at rideauins=
> titute.ca</a></span></span></p>
>
> <span style=3D"font-size: 11pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA"><a href=3D"mailto:stu.neatb=
> y at gmail.com"></a>Tamara Lorincz, Halifax Peace Coalition, (902) 443-2423, (=
> c) (902) 478-1379, <a href=3D"mailto:tlorincz at dal.ca">tlorincz at dal.ca</a> =
> <br>
> <br clear=3D"all"></span><span style=3D"font-size: 11pt;" lang=3D"EN-CA">St=
> uart Neatby,
> Halifax Peace Coalition, (902) 405-9480, <a href=3D"mailto:stu.neatby at gmail=
> .com">stu.neatby at gmail.com</a></span><br><br>-- <br>Check out the Haiti Art=
> School Project<br><a href=3D"http://users.eastlink.ca/~northstar">users.ea=
> stlink.ca/~northstar
> </a>
>
> ------=_Part_117109_13986613.1183568565435--
>
--
-------------- next part --------------
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
*Press Release, **July 4, 2007**
*
*HARPER TO SNUB NS PREMIER, IGNORE CALLS FOR DND SPENDING FREEZE*
Parliamentary Calls for Defence Spending Freeze Based Upon Review of No-Bid
Contracts
HALIFAX – Prime Minister Stephen Harper's expected defence spending
announcements during his visit to Halifax will come at a time of
Parliamentary calls for a freeze in new contracts. According to a report
released last month by the Rideau Institute, 40% of military contracts in
the year 2006-2007 have been classified by Business Access Canada as
"non-competitive," more than double the number from the previous year. In
response, the opposition Liberal and New Democratic parties have publicly
called for a moratorium on major defence spending announcements until the
release of a report by the Auditor General reviewing Canadian defence
contracts in September.
In the midst of the Federal-Provincial row over the Atlantic Accords,
Harper's visit to Halifax this week appears to have offered yet another
public snub to NS Premier Rodney Macdonald, whose office has been left in
the dark regarding the details of the visit. But accountability has hardly
been Stephen Harper's strong suit.
"One year after the government announced more than $17 billion in military
equipment programs, the process in awarding these contracts has been fraught
with charges of unfair competition, favouritism, and secrecy," wrote Steven
Staples, author of the Rideau Institute's report *No Bang for the Buck,* in
an op-ed published in the Hill Times on June 18th.
In June of 2006, Canadian Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor announced over
$17 billion in new defence spending. As part of this announcement, a $3.4
billion contract for strategic airlift was later designated for Advance
Contract Award Notice (ACAN), meaning that the "winner" of the contract is
largely pre-determined. Given Gordon "Cheney Jr" O'Connor's background as a
lobbyist for defence firms, and the increasing use of ACANs within DND
procurement contracts, such large announcements appear geared towards
rewarding politically connected defence contractors such as American firms
Lockheed Martin and Boeing rather than responsibly using Canadian
tax-dollars to provide Canadian military personnel with adequate equipment.
Harper has also played a major role in shifting Canadian foreign policy as a
whole in a heavily militaristic direction. Canadian forces are increasingly
engaging in disastrously ineffective counter-insurgency operations in Southern
Afghanistan and have encouraged similar operations from UN forces in Haiti.
These operations, although perhaps advantageous for military contractors,
have resulted in high civilian death tolls, as well as dwindling public
support for the presence of international forces in both nations.
An airstrike carried out by NATO killed between 45 and 80 civilians last
Friday in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Similarly, UN soldiers killed at
least 22 civilians in the seaside shantytown of Cite Soleil, Haiti, last
December according to international journalists and witnesses, in a raid
that was later applauded by Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mackay in a
parliamentary paper presented to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The Halifax Peace Coalition will be organizing an information picket against
the expected defence spending announcements once the shadowy details of
Harper's schedule become public.
*For More Information*
Steven Staples, Director, Rideau Institute, (613) 565-9449, (c) (613)
290-2695, sstaples at rideauinstitute.ca
<stu.neatby at gmail.com>Tamara Lorincz, Halifax Peace Coalition, (902)
443-2423, (c) (902) 478-1379, tlorincz at dal.ca
Stuart Neatby, Halifax Peace Coalition, (902) 405-9480, stu.neatby at gmail.com
--
Check out the Haiti Art School Project
users.eastlink.ca/~northstar
-------------- next part --------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release, July 4, 2007
HARPER TO SNUB NS PREMIER, IGNORE CALLS FOR DND SPENDING FREEZE
Parliamentary Calls for Defence Spending Freeze Based Upon Review of
No-Bid Contracts
HALIFAX Prime Minister Stephen Harper's expected defence spending
announcements during his visit to Halifax will come at a time of
Parliamentary calls for a freeze in new contracts. According to a
report released last month by the Rideau Institute, 40% of military
contracts in the year 2006-2007 have been classified by Business
Access Canada as "non-competitive," more than double the number from
the previous year. In response, the opposition Liberal and New
Democratic parties have publicly called for a moratorium on major
defence spending announcements until the release of a report by the
Auditor General reviewing Canadian defence contracts in September.
In the midst of the Federal-Provincial row over the Atlantic Accords,
Harper's visit to Halifax this week appears to have offered yet
another public snub to NS Premier Rodney Macdonald, whose office has
been left in the dark regarding the details of the visit. But
accountability has hardly been Stephen Harper's strong suit.
"One year after the government announced more than $17 billion in
military equipment programs, the process in awarding these contracts
has been fraught with charges of unfair competition, favouritism, and
secrecy," wrote Steven Staples, author of the Rideau Institute's
report No Bang for the Buck, in an op-ed published in the Hill Times
on June 18^th.
In June of 2006, Canadian Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor announced
over $17 billion in new defence spending. As part of this
announcement, a $3.4 billion contract for strategic airlift was later
designated for Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN), meaning that the
"winner" of the contract is largely pre-determined. Given Gordon
"Cheney Jr" O'Connor's background as a lobbyist for defence firms, and
the increasing use of ACANs within DND procurement contracts, such
large announcements appear geared towards rewarding politically
connected defence contractors such as American firms Lockheed Martin
and Boeing rather than responsibly using Canadian tax-dollars to
provide Canadian military personnel with adequate equipment.
Harper has also played a major role in shifting Canadian foreign
policy as a whole in a heavily militaristic direction. Canadian forces
are increasingly engaging in disastrously ineffective
counter-insurgency operations in Southern Afghanistan and have
encouraged similar operations from UN forces in Haiti. These
operations, although perhaps advantageous for military contractors,
have resulted in high civilian death tolls, as well as dwindling
public support for the presence of international forces in both
nations.
An airstrike carried out by NATO killed between 45 and 80 civilians
last Friday in Helmand Province, Afghanistan . Similarly, UN soldiers
killed at least 22 civilians in the seaside shantytown of Cite Soleil,
Haiti, last December according to international journalists and
witnesses, in a raid that was later applauded by Foreign Affairs
Minister Peter Mackay in a parliamentary paper presented to the
Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The Halifax Peace Coalition will be organizing an information picket
against the expected defence spending announcements once the shadowy
details of Harper's schedule become public.
For More Information
Steven Staples, Director, Rideau Institute, (613) 565-9449, (c) (613)
290-2695, [1]sstaples at rideauinstitute.ca
Tamara Lorincz, Halifax Peace Coalition, (902) 443-2423, (c) (902)
478-1379, [2]tlorincz at dal.ca
Stuart Neatby, Halifax Peace Coalition, (902) 405-9480,
[3]stu.neatby at gmail.com
--
Check out the Haiti Art School Project
[4]users.eastlink.ca/~northstar
References
Visible links
1. mailto:sstaples at rideauinstitute.ca
2. mailto:tlorincz at dal.ca
3. mailto:stu.neatby at gmailcom
4. http://users.eastlink.ca/~northstar
Hidden links:
5. mailto:stu.neatby at gmail.com
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