OTTAWA — Opposition parties say they are being stymied in efforts to launch a wide-ranging probe of how the F-35 became the Harper government’s only choice to replace the aging CF-18 fighter jets.
The House of Commons public accounts committee was recalled from Easter break Thursday to set the framework for a series of hearings.
While it agreed to begin hearings April 26, the Conservatives used their majority on the all-party committee to postpone discussion of who would appear until next week, to the frustration of New Democrats and Liberals.
The meeting also ended with no guarantee from the ruling party whether a planning session Tuesday, where potential witnesses will be discussed, would be open to public scrutiny or remain behind closed doors as many committee meetings have been since the last election.
“They’re looking to control the witness list,” said New Democrat MP Malcolm Allen.
The Liberals led the charge with attempts to establish a guaranteed slate, including senior members of cabinet, the auditor general, and defence and public works bureaucrats responsible for the program.
The emergency meeting was called following the latest auditor general’s report, which accused the Conservatives and National Defence of hiding the full life-cycle cost of the proposed stealth-fighter purchase.
Michael Ferguson’s report said the public estimate of $14.7 billion does not included the expected $10 billion operational costs, such as the salaries, fuel and other commoditie.
Some Conservatives have blamed defence bureaucrats for not fully explaining the complex purchase, although Defence Minister Peter MacKay has acknowledged he knew and understood the disagreement over how the costing should be displayed.
Newfoundland Liberal MP Gerry Byrne warned picking witnesses should not be left to the Conservatives or senior members of the bureaucracy.
“There’s vested interest on the part of deputy ministers for not having subordinates appear,” he said. “These officials I’ve called for in my motion, I wanted to know what did they know, when did they know it and who did they tell it to.”
The Liberals want to call the F-35 project manager and its program director, as well as senior bureaucrats at Industry Canada and Public Works.
A spokesman for Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino fired back at the criticism late Thursday and said the plan is to allow senior officials to testify.
“We have accepted the report and put in place a seven part plan moving forward,” Chris McCluskey said in an email late Thursday. “It was clear from our MP’s comments that we are anxious to hold a study into the (auditor general) report. It was also clear again today that NDP and Liberal’s grandstanding is the only thing standing in the way of moving this study forward. We look forward to hearing from officials on this issue.”
Even though the opposition parties banded together to reconvene the committee before Parliament’s return early, the agenda is still controlled by the Conservative majority.
The leading Conservative on the committee, B.C. MP Andrew Saxton, said the government is open to discussing who should appear and also insisted it is anxious to have the politically explosive controversy investigated.
“The most important thing is we will be starting the study as soon as possible,” said Saxton, whose response was continually interrupted by a Conservative staffer trying to whisk him away from reporters. “We look forward to hearing from witnesses next week.”
In July 2010, the Harper government signalled its intention to buy the F-35 Lightning II, insisting it was the only fighter aircraft that meets the needs of the air force.
It has yet to sign a contract with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Defence Department, which is co-ordinating sales of the radar-evading jet.
The choice has been a political lightning rod ever since with Oppositions parties, the Parliamentary Budget Officer and now the auditor general questioned the price tag and the method for selection.