Canada Election 2011: Mr. Harper what is the real cost of F-35’s?

Can Harper run out the clock on this election, before having to finally come clean on the single biggest military expenditure in Canadian history? Is it too much to ask that the Conservatives acknowledge that costs have increased for the F-35, or is this all really a testament to superhuman ability to lie for an entire campaign with no recourse? First Harper has this mystical letter that sheltered Canada, pressed further no instead we had this outdated Memorandum Of Understanding, available online even, that clearly showed Canada was "exempt". The MOU answered nothing, apart from delivering another day of avoidance, which seems Harper’s only goal. Harper’s tactic did WORK, the attention challenged environment his best friend, the F35 BOONDOGGLE almost forgetten. But wait, one more unforseen development, at the end of the campaign:

Tories shrug off multiple warnings on fighter-jet price tag

The Department of National Defence said this week it’s been warned to expect the per-unit price of the F-35 jets might be higher than the $75-million it’s been advertising to Canadians.

The Conservatives say they’ve built extra room for cost overruns into the $9-billion purchase price they released to Canadians last summer.

Mr. Harper, campaigning in Quebec’s Eastern Townships Tuesday, said it’s incorrect to match up U.S. reports with Canadian estimates. His party has long insisted Canada is immune from rising research and development costs.

“Many of these reports you are citing are comparing apples to oranges,” Mr. Harper said. “Our experts have put out their detailed figures and everything we’ve seen is within those figures and their contingencies, the contingencies that have been allowed.”

OUR Department of National Defence has been warned about OUR planes costing US more, but in Harper’s world this is an apples and oranges revelation, that has no bearing on OUR purchase. Think about the absurdity, then understand the truth is WHATEVER to Harper at this point, let’s just get to May 2, THEN afterwards the Conservatives can deal with deceiving the Canadian people. That description accurately describes where we are at here, no longer is this a "difference of opinion", it is an avalanche of evidence vs stonewalling, not an argument but an attempt to cover up the truth from voters.

We are not taking about a minor purchase here, we are in the midst of a decision that could handicap Canada for three decades, both the intial cost and maintenance of such a nature, that other military expenditures, needed equipment, could well be threatened. It seems to me, that Canadians should be basing their support on REAL NUMBERS, not the "fantasy" numbers Harper simply clings to day after day. Harper’s response today to questions are astonishing, "his figures" don’t exist and if they are allowed to further pollute the public domain, it does an injust to the entire election process. Just hang in there, dodge and weave, only a few more days to go and you’re home free Mr. Harper. Not sure where the failure here lies, but it is fundamental in nature, and sees a terrible precedent moving forward.

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