As a follow up to the recently announced overhaul of military procurement operations, the federal government’s new budget featured significant cuts to defence spending. Widespread media reports included stories in the Ottawa Business Journal, The Vancouver Sun and the Ottawa Citizen highlighting the government’s decision to delay $3.1 billion in military spending over the next few years. This prompted widespread speculation regarding which projects would be delayed or permanently shelved, with the National Post reporting that the cuts would result in the cancellation of plans to replace coastal and arctic patrol planes by 2020, forcing the current aging fleet to remain in service until 2030.
News of the defence spending cuts came in the same week as a report from CTV News of a retiring general who recently charged the government $72 000 for a move within the Ottawa area and a report in The Province of a government poll showing that the Senate spending scandal has increased the public’s perception of widespread spending abuses within government circles.
