What's Canada Buying? September 13, 2012

• F-35 Tug o’ War  Parliament trying to block Auditor General from releasing F-35 documents via Access to Information Act request  “The House of Commons is taking Canada’s auditor general to court to stop him from revealing documents around his high-profile F-35 committee appearance.  An application filed by the House of Commons in Federal Court last Friday shows House lawyers tried but failed to convince auditor general Michael Ferguson to reject an access to information request for his own correspondence.  Now they’re seeking a court injunction to gag the auditor general. It is likely the first time this has happened in Canada.  The documents in question have to do with Ferguson’s news-making appearance before Parliament’s public accounts committee in May, where he argued the Defence Department was lowballing the cost of F-35 fighter jets by billions of dollars.  On June 19, someone — the documents don’t say who — filed an access to information request to the auditor general for all emails pertaining to his committee appearance. Committees typically meet in secret to work out who they will ask to appear.  The Office of the Auditor General notified five committee clerks that were involved, as is necessary under the Access to Information Act.  House of Commons lawyers objected. They said the documents related to preparing committee hearings and thus were subject to parliamentary privilege.  “Any disclosure of those documents without the express consent of the House of Commons would constitute a breach of that privilege,” reads the House legal filing ….”
• War of 1812 (1)  Wanted:  someone to design a War of 1812 monument for Ottawa  “…. The War of 1812 was a seminal event in the making of our great country. The 200th anniversary (2012-2014) is being commemorated through the organization and delivery of initiatives and events across Canada, including the creation of a national monument in Canada’s Capital. This monument will be unveiled on Parliament Hill in Ottawa towards the end of the commemorations in 2014.  This monument will be a national tribute to recognize the courage and bravery of those who served during the War of 1812 and who successfully defended their land in the fight for Canada. It will help Canadians learn about this defining moment in our history.  The National Capital Commission (NCC), in partnership with the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH), is inviting professional artists to submit their Qualifications and examples of prior work as part of the first stage of a two-phase competition ….” – more from the request information package here, and from media here.
• War of 1812 (2)  The Canadian Press makes an interesting cross-reference….  “The Harper government wants to commemorate the War of 1812 in stone and has asked artists interested in designing a national monument to step forward with their qualifications.  The bids will be considered even as the Canadian military struggles to get recognition for the war in Afghanistan and to find a home for the emotionally charged battlefield cenotaph that once sat at Kandahar Airfield.  The National Capital Commission and Heritage Canada issued the call for artists and say the 1812 monument will be placed on Parliament Hill.  The government hopes to have the structure designed and built by the end of 2014, capping off two years of celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the war.  At the same time, efforts to get national recognition for the war in Afghanistan have stalled.  Defence sources say an effort to have the dates of the conflict carved into the National War Memorial in Ottawa have been blocked by Veterans Affairs Canada, which argued internally that recognizing Afghanistan would open the door to petitions from ex-Cold War soldiers and peacekeepers ….”
• Wanted:  someone to “supply …. labour, material, supervision and equipment necessary for the modification and renovations to the Air Mobility Training Center (at CFB Trenton) including architectural, mechanical and electrical trades“ for about $1.3 million.
• Meanwhile, “Media are invited to join Mr. Chris Alexander, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, and the men and women of 426 Transport Training Squadron (today) at a dedication ceremony for the new Air Mobility Training Centre at 8 Wing/Canadian Forces Base Trenton …. The new Air Mobility Training Centre building will be dedicated in honour of Wing Commander Sedley S. Blanchard, the first Commanding Officer of 426 Transport Training Squadron ….”     
• Wanted:  a sole-source contract to have someone develop “tools for responding to cyber incidents” for around $900K- and why?  “…. The development from scratch of an integrated tool to respond to cyber incidents with all the desired capabilities would require oo much effort for the scope of the project. It is therefore proposed to extend the capabilities of an existing tool for responding to cyber incidents by adding additional features ….”     
• Remember this one (second bullet)?  “Wanted (someone) …. To provide post secondary academic institute required technical training, the pedagogical supplies and the logistic support for the Department of National Defence (DND) sponsored students and staff under the plan entitled the Marine Engineering Technician Training Plan (METTP) ….”  Let’s try it again, shall we?
• Wanted:  “cold boxed meals” for 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron in B.C. – more on what they want in them in bid document extract here.

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