4 avril 2023 | Local, Naval
Royal Canadian Navy pitches $60 billion submarine purchase, say defence and industry sources
But that price tag could climb to $100B as military equipment procurement programs are rarely on budget, say industry sources
18 décembre 2018 | Local, Terrestre
Saudi arms deal: London area suppliers foresee job losses if cancelled
If the contract to supply Saudi Arabia with London-built military vehicles were cancelled, the impact would also be deeply felt in the hundreds of suppliers that feed General Dynamics and its Oxford Street East factory.
Armatec Survivabilty in Dorchester supplies most of the seats to the General Dynamics Land Systems Canada armoured vehicles going to the Middle East, and a “substantial number” of its workers would lose their jobs if it's cancelled, said Rod Flick, manager of business development at Armatec.
“We're putting seats in those vehicles. It would have a big impact,” said Flick, adding it now employs just over 100.
GDLS has said its suppliers nationwide — including 240 in the London region alone — employ 13,500 people directly or indirectly.
“There are other ways Canada can exert pressure than to cancel this. The Saudis will just go and buy vehicles from somewhere else,” Flick said.
Flick will be in Ottawa this week pressing Global Affairs Canada not to cancel the deal, he added.
Flick has also met with several MPs and MPPs, making the case to defend the agreement.
At Abuma Manufacturing on Admiral Drive in London, about half its business is tied to General Dynamics and cancelling the contract would be “a real blow” to its 26 employees, said president Ben Whitney, who is also head of its sister plant, Armo-Tool. Abuma makes parts for GDLS's light armoured vehicles.
“I am extremely concerned., It would make things very difficult for us. It would put us in a difficult position,” said Whitney.
“It would be a blow, a real blow.”
Armo-Tool bought Abuma in May and would keep it afloat by sharing work, but without that partnership, Abuma would shut down if the Saudi deal is cancelled, he added.
“When this deal was struck, it was because the Saudis were seen as a stable partner in that region. If we want to engage in that region, there is no perfect democracy there. We can engage and build relationships or we can cancel deals and be seen as not reliable,” said Whitney.
“It is tough. Last week, we made a donation to the Salvation Army and now about half our people may need them. It is a tough situation.”
CANADA'S SAUDI ARMS DEAL: A CHRONOLOGY
February 2014:
The federal government under the Stephen Harper-led Conservatives announce the deal to supply light armoured military vehicles to Saudi Arabia, with London defence giant General Dynamics Land Systems Canada building the vehicles for a federal crown corporation, the Canadian Commercial Corp., selling the equipment to the desert kingdom.
October 2015:
The Conservatives, under fire from human rights critics for selling arms to Saudi Arabia despite its human rights abuses, lose the general election to Justin Trudeau's Liberals.
The Liberals green-light the deal, despite growing calls to rescind it in light of Saudi Arabian political and human rights abuses, including in neighbouring Yemen.
2016:
Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion quietly approves export permits covering most of the deal, as criticism mounts of Canada doing arms business with Saudi Arabia.
October 2018:
Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist, is killed at the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Suspicion instantly rises that the killing was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The killing increases heat on Ottawa over its Saudi arms deal.
After first denying Khashoggi was killed, Saudi Arabia admits his slaying was “premeditated” and orders an investigation.
Trudeau, facing new pressure to scuttle the Saudi deal in light of Khashoggi's murder, says it would cost $1 billion to scrap the deal. The Liberals say they're reviewing the export permits for the deal.
December 2018:
Trudeau says publicly for the first time that the Liberals are looking for a way out of the Saudi deal, prompting heightened worry and alarm in London.
GDLS: BY THE NUMBERS
1,850: Employees in London
13,500: Jobs supported among its suppliers
500: Suppliers nationwide
240: Suppliers in London region
Sur le même sujet
-
-
2 novembre 2018 | Local, Aérospatial, Sécurité
Have your say on Winnipeg's police helicopter
The Winnipeg Police Service wants to know what you think of the helicopter and is conducting a survey to find out. The survey kicks off Wednesday. Residents will be called at random, in all areas within the City of Winnipeg. The survey is expected to take less that 15 minutes to finish, a news release says. There is also a survey online, which closes on Nov. 21. The police force issued a request for proposals to review their flight operations program in March. On July 12, MNP was awarded a contract to complete it. Air1, the name of the police chopper, has become a common sight in the skies over the city, and the WPS has praised its value numerous times since it first took flight in 2011. However, its original operating cost rose from $1.2 million yearly to $1.8 million in 2015, and the city recently replaced the chopper's infrared camera to the tune of $560,000. The province was set to launch an independent review in 2016, but a change in funding the following year cancelled that review, said police. The police service had promised to conduct its own independent assessment to find out whether the cost of maintaining and flying Air1 is worth the price, as well as to see whether it fits the city's strategic plans. With files from Bartley Kives https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-police-flight-operations-review-1.4885688
-
15 janvier 2019 | Local, Aérospatial
Daniel Turp veut empêcher des ventes d’armes «hypocrites»
Hugo Joncas | Le Journal de Montréal Ottawa fait preuve d'«hypocrisie» en autorisant la vente d'équipements aéronautiques québécois aux forces de l'Arabie saoudite et des Émirats arabes unis, dit le professeur de droit constitutionnel Daniel Turp, qui veut les faire interdire dès que possible. «Il y a une hypocrisie collective qui fait qu'on tolère ça de nos gouvernements parce que ça créerait des emplois», a dit l'ancien député au micro de Robert Dutrizac sur QUB radio lundi matin. Daniel Turp réagissait au reportage de notre Bureau d'enquête, qui révèle que l'aéronautique québécoise a vendu pour près d'un milliard de dollars en équipements aux militaires saoudiens, émiratis et à leurs alliés dans la sanglante guerre au Yémen, qui a tué 4500 civils jusqu'ici. Il souligne l'«incohérence» de ces ventes avec l'arrivée de la jeune réfugiée saoudienne en sol canadien la fin de semaine dernière. Recours judiciaires Daniel Turp est déjà en quête d'un moyen de pour empêcher de futures exportations. «Je vais mettre mes étudiants au travail», dit le professeur à l'Université de Montréal, en entrevue avec notre Bureau d'enquête. La partie est cependant loin d'être gagnée. Daniel Turp tente déjà d'en appeler jusqu'en Cour suprême pour faire annuler les licences d'exportation des blindés ontariens de General Dynamics. Dans le cas des moteurs de Pratt & Whitney et des appareils de Bell Hélicoptères Textron destinés aux flottes de guerre cependant, aucune licence n'est même nécessaire de la part d'Ottawa, puisqu'ils sont conçus comme des équipements civils. Ils sont ensuite utilisés pour assembler des appareils d'attaque aux États-Unis, lié au Canada par l'Accord sur le partage de la production de défense, un véritable libre-échange de l'armement. «Il faut que je trouve le moyen de poursuivre les compagnies», dit-il. Daniel Turp observera de près comment évolue une poursuite intentée en Italie contre le fabricant d'une bombe saoudienne ayant tué les six membres d'une famille au Yémen, en octobre 2016. Il doit aussi intervenir dans les consultations des prochaines semaines sur le projet de loi C-47, qui doit permettre au Canada d'adhérer au Traité des Nations unies sur le commerce des armes. Daniel Turp compte exiger que les pièces et composantes soient incluses dans la liste du matériel à exportation contrôlée, même lorsqu'elles sont vendues aux États-Unis. Le professeur évoque enfin les «principes directeurs de l'Organisation de développement et de coopération économique» (OCDE), auquel le Canada adhère. Ils mentionnent notamment qu'une entreprise doit «éviter d'être la cause d'incidences négatives sur les droits de l'homme ou d'y contribuer, et parer à ces incidences lorsqu'elles surviennent». https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2019/01/15/daniel-turp-veut-empecher-des-ventes-darmes-hypocrites