Canada’s budget watchdog on Thursday accused the government of trying to mislead Canadians about the cost of the US-led F35 fighter jet program.
Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page told reporters a flat “yes” when asked if he believed that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government wanted Canadians to think the planes were going to cost less.
This follows a scathing report by the auditor general last month that accused the military of misleading lawmakers on the cost of the planes and breaching rules by keeping Ottawa’s procurement authority out of the loop.
Ottawa announced in July 2010 its intention to buy 65 next-generation F35 Lightning II fighter jets to replace its aging fleet of CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, for $9 billion plus $7 billion for aircraft maintenance.
Both Page and Auditor General Michael Ferguson estimated the true cost at more than $25 billion for the aircraft which is also known as the Joint Strike Fighter.
On Thursday, Page defended his cost estimates around the F35s before a parliamentary committee.
He said he included operating costs of the jets, based on Treasury Board guidelines and a 30 year lifecycle, versus the 20 years used for the government’s tally that does not include fuel or pilot costs.
The government last month reacted to the auditor general’s report by saying it would boost oversight, freeze its allocation for the fighter jet purchase at the original $9 billion, and transfer responsibility for the procurement to the Public Works ministry.
But the opposition has continued to press for answers on the $10 billion gap between the government’s publicly-stated figures and others’ estimates.
Canada has been a partner in the Joint Strike Fighter program since 1997, with Australia, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, and Britain, as well as one of its most ardent supporters.
The defense department says it expects the first aircraft to arrive in Canada in 2019.
