The Conservatives are financially prudent?

[punked]

Taken from http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/st...html?id=1121512

The Conservative government has decided that U. S. aerospace giant Sikorsky will not have to pay $36-million in late penalties even though the maritime helicopter it is building for the Canadian Forces is being delivered two years late. Instead, the government has cut a new deal with Sikorsky, resetting the clock on when the firm would be liable for late penalties, if at all. The U. S. company has been given another two years before facing any sanctions. Under the new deal, Canadian taxpayers will now pay Sikorsky $117-million extra for improvements to be made to the Cyclone as well as changes to the long-term in-service support package for the aircraft.

They are so smart. Instead of getting the money they are owed for later Helicopters our troops need they have given an extra 100 million and 2 years to the company that can;t deliver. Ann Rand would be pissed with Harper.

[Progressive Tory]

Taken from http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/st...html?id=1121512

The Conservative government has decided that U. S. aerospace giant Sikorsky will not have to pay $36-million in late penalties even though the maritime helicopter it is building for the Canadian Forces is being delivered two years late. Instead, the government has cut a new deal with Sikorsky, resetting the clock on when the firm would be liable for late penalties, if at all. The U. S. company has been given another two years before facing any sanctions. Under the new deal, Canadian taxpayers will now pay Sikorsky $117-million extra for improvements to be made to the Cyclone as well as changes to the long-term in-service support package for the aircraft.

They are so smart. Instead of getting the money they are owed for later Helicopters our troops need they have given an extra 100 million and 2 years to the company that can;t deliver. Ann Rand would be pissed with Harper.

When it comes to the Conservatives and how they conduct business, I'm no longer shocked by anything. They used to be fiscally responsible but the new face of the party is anything but. Hypocrites.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

The Tories have a long standing tradition with business, they don't beat it up. They learned their lesson from killing the Arrow, don't expect them to do it again. As much as we wish to do something about it, short of canceling the contract nothing much can be done. The Liberals canceled the last contract and that cost 500 million. What Harper should have done was scream blue murder and demand the payment of the penalty clause.

[Progressive Tory]

The Tories have a long standing tradition with business, they don't beat it up. They learned their lesson from killing the Arrow, don't expect them to do it again. As much as we wish to do something about it, short of canceling the contract nothing much can be done. The Liberals canceled the last contract and that cost 500 million. What Harper should have done was scream blue murder and demand the payment of the penalty clause.

You're right, or at least demand a portion. Otherwise, what's to prevent them from trying to screw us again?

[punked]

I think we should give them a Billion dollars and 100 years to give us the thing we paid for and should have been delivered 2 years ago.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

I would hold off on making to many demands, we need the product and are committed to a contract. Then again so are they, and the terms and conditions of the contract provided remedies. I believe this was a very stupid mistake on the part of Harper and his government.

[Progressive Tory]

I would hold off on making to many demands, we need the product and are committed to a contract. Then again so are they, and the terms and conditions of the contract provided remedies. I believe this was a very stupid mistake on the part of Harper and his government.

Just let the average Canadian try to get out of fitness club or cellphone contract. They don't care if your legs fall off and you can't go to the gym. You pay in full plus interest.

[Alta4ever]

What a lovely liberal love in have fun guys.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

What a lovely liberal love in have fun guys.

How is this a Liberal love in?

[Mr.Canada]

Don't worry Canada will its chance to vote into power a man who has spent 2.5 of the last 30 years in Canada soon. Then we'll see.

[BC_chick]

Don't worry Canada will its chance to vote into power a man who has spent 2.5 of the last 30 years in Canada soon. Then we'll see.

Ya! Let's overlook all Harper's hypocritical policies, his corporate ass-kissing, his fiscal mismanagement and his partisan tactics just because he's lived in Canada longer than Iggy. Sounds like a brilliant strategy for picking our government.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Iggy has already been heard from in interviews but he is holding the cards pretty close. I am willing to bet Harper is just arrogant enough to try and push the envelope when folks return to the Commons. I expect Iggy to be playing his cards one at a time on that day. I am willing to bet that Harper will look like an idiot in question period.

[DFCaper]

This seems to be the case with modern Conservatives. Bush spent like a mad man in the US and now it seems like Harper's government isn't much better with money. If conservatives were conservative i spending, Election day would be a no-brainer for me....

Alta4ever - are you a sheep who follows any conservative blindly??? Scary

[Alta4ever]

This seems to be the case with modern Conservatives. Bush spent like a mad man in the US and now it seems like Harper's government isn't much better with money. If conservatives were conservative i spending, Election day would be a no-brainer for me....

Alta4ever - are you a sheep who follows any conservative blindly??? Scary

NOPE, but I do see the sheep following the red party. If Harper had lived in the us as long as Iggy I know exactly what would be said. I have my problems with the conservatives and some of their policy that has come out over the last couple of years. It may not be perfect but it is better then what is offered by any other party in Canada.

[Boydfish]

In all fairness, it sounds like the Conservatives managed to negotiate a better solution than mere cash payment. In the grand scheme of things, getting $36 million back is small potatoes if we get better equipment and service of the units after the sale. Think of it like buying a car from a dealership. You were promised the car would be delivered on January 1st, but due to a problem at the factory, it won't be ready on time. So the dealer is now having them install the better speakers, AC and put a factory sunroof in, free of charge.

If they had enforced the penalty clause, they'd have gotten $36 million and lesser choppers at a later time. This way, they got better choppers on the same day they were going to get them anyway.

You'll also note that they didn't waive the penalty clause, they merely postponed it.

[Progressive Tory]

In all fairness, it sounds like the Conservatives managed to negotiate a better solution than mere cash payment. In the grand scheme of things, getting $36 million back is small potatoes if we get better equipment and service of the units after the sale. Think of it like buying a car from a dealership. You were promised the car would be delivered on January 1st, but due to a problem at the factory, it won't be ready on time. So the dealer is now having them install the better speakers, AC and put a factory sunroof in, free of charge.

If they had enforced the penalty clause, they'd have gotten $36 million and lesser choppers at a later time. This way, they got better choppers on the same day they were going to get them anyway.

You'll also note that they didn't waive the penalty clause, they merely postponed it.

Yes, but would you wait two years for that car and not expect some form of immediate compensation? A lot can happen in two years and at least a partial penalty would send the message that you're serious about their fulfilling their contractual obligations. Right now we just look gullible.

[punked]

In all fairness, it sounds like the Conservatives managed to negotiate a better solution than mere cash payment. In the grand scheme of things, getting $36 million back is small potatoes if we get better equipment and service of the units after the sale. Think of it like buying a car from a dealership. You were promised the car would be delivered on January 1st, but due to a problem at the factory, it won't be ready on time. So the dealer is now having them install the better speakers, AC and put a factory sunroof in, free of charge.

If they had enforced the penalty clause, they'd have gotten $36 million and lesser choppers at a later time. This way, they got better choppers on the same day they were going to get them anyway.

You'll also note that they didn't waive the penalty clause, they merely postponed it.

An extra 120 million is free of charge? Could have fooled me.

[Argus]

An extra 120 million is free of charge? Could have fooled me.

Last report I saw on this was claiming Sikorski was looking for another $250-$500 million for these, and that they'd be 2 years late. I think the Tories are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they simply cancel the deal, they have zero chance of having some other new helicopter in place within 2 years. In fact, we'd be looking at another 4-5 years before something else could be delivered.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

It seems to me that we are now paying more than we contracted for and are receiving the products later than we contract for. I don't think we got the clean end of the stick.

[Boydfish]

Yes, but would you wait two years for that car and not expect some form of immediate compensation? A lot can happen in two years and at least a partial penalty would send the message that you're serious about their fulfilling their contractual obligations.

What kind of immediate compensation? I think if the matter is dug into, you'll find that there isn't much that the contractor could deliver now that could help the CF. The government doesn't need to send a message like you're suggesting in any case. Canada is a top rank NATO power and as such, the entire world watches how the CF's military procurement performs. The contractor isn't getting a free ride for this. Wanna bet the next RFP they respond to they get a question back asking "Why did you fail to deliver to Canada on time and why is it going to be different for us?"?

Right now we just look gullible.

I'd rather look gullible and snag a smart deal than look good and lose out.

[Progressive Tory]

What kind of immediate compensation? I think if the matter is dug into, you'll find that there isn't much that the contractor could deliver now that could help the CF. The government doesn't need to send a message like you're suggesting in any case. Canada is a top rank NATO power and as such, the entire world watches how the CF's military procurement performs. The contractor isn't getting a free ride for this. Wanna bet the next RFP they respond to they get a question back asking "Why did you fail to deliver to Canada on time and why is it going to be different for us?"?

I'd rather look gullible and snag a smart deal than look good and lose out.

Actually we are the sixth lowest in Nato, ranking number 18.

http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archiv...10/3516472.html

"Conservatives like to say they’ve restored funding to the DND but, in fact, all they’ve really done is continue a trend got started by previous Liberal governments in 2000."

We're nowhere near the top.

[Boydfish]

Actually we are the sixth lowest in Nato, ranking number 18.

Sorry, I wasn't referencing dollars spent. My reference was more towards the actual deployments and access to equipment. To sort of explain, Canada operates in an extremely exclusive club of countries. We can pretty much have our choice of equipment and purchase options. We could literally source any level of technology to supply our troops and our only limitation is our internal budget. We can get the stuff that the senior NATO countries will only share with each other(France, UK, Britain, Germany, US), as well as the gear the second tier NATO guys have.

As well, the fact that we're the NATO country actually operating out in the boonies with the British and the Americans carries a certain degree of weight.

This means that what we can get is usually the best available in terms of cost and performance. That means that how we procure is of interest to the rest of the world.

[Topaz]

Last January, McKay told the media that Sikorsky would be subject to penalties and clauses that would kick in IF they didn't get the copters delivered. Instead of charging them 100,000 per day on their lateness up to 36 MIL, WE taxpayers are going to have to pay THEM 117 MIL. for improvements to the Cyclone. What the improvements will really be neither side is saying. Shouldn't the government get some more tenders and maybe search for a cheaper price? Agusta-Westland, Sikorsky's rival said in 2004 that Sikorsky wouldn't be able the timetable.

[punked]

Apparently to get a government contract all you have to do is lie to the government then when time runs out till them you need more money and time.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Military contracts are a little different. There are all kinds of things attached to these contracts, like servicing and spares, weapons systems, avionics and a host of other parts and pieces.