The Politics of Procurement
Military Acquisition in Canada and the Sea King Helicopter
A fascinating saga of how politics plays havoc with military procurement in Canada.
Description
In 1993, Canada’s Liberal Party cancelled an order to replace the navy’s Sea King helicopter. It claimed that the Tory plan was too expensive, but the cancellation itself actually cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Aaron Plamondon connects this incident to the larger evolution of defence procurement in Canada, revealing that partisan politics, rather than a desire to increase the military’s capabilities, have driven the military procurement process. This saga of the government playing havoc with weapons acquisition offers an explanation for, and clues for resolving, the under-equipped state of Canada’s military.
Reviews
The Politics of Procurement is well written, painstakingly researched, and definitely not to be taken lightly.
- Katherine Doucet