Pan-Canadian Common Front Calls for Call for TendersA common pan-Canadian front, including Bombardier and other Quebec companies, is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to replace surveillance aircraft. The absence of a call for tenders would "unnecessarily slow" down the technological advances developed here, they argue in a letter obtained by La Presse.
In their letter, these 16 signatories do not hide their concern that this billionaire contract to replace the aging Aurora CP-140 of the Royal Canadian Air Force be awarded by mutual agreement. Everything indicates that Boeing would win the deal.
"This will unnecessarily inhibit growth and innovation in Canada's world-renowned aerospace and defence sectors," they wrote, calling for a meeting with Trudeau.
In addition to Bombardier, the Canadian subsidiary of General Dynamics – which has decided to team up with the Quebec multinational on this issue – is among the signatories. In addition to the aircraft manufacturer, the names of six other Quebec companies can be found at the bottom of the letter:
DCM Group, On Board Data Systems, Atlas Aeronautik, Kinnear Upholstery, Flexibulb Plastics and Sidtor Industries. The others are based in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
These companies are part of Canada's aerospace and defence supply chain. The pan-Canadian common front is not directly attacking Boeing, but rather the Trudeau government's lack of commitment to a tender to replace the old CP-140s.
Political jousting
The replacement of the CP-140s, a potential $9 billion contract, has taken a political turn. The Department of Defence favours Boeing's Poseidon P-8A – which is similar to the 737 family of commercial aircraft and can launch torpedoes – as the only aircraft that can meet Canadian requirements.
Bombardier, which wants to increase its exposure to the military sector, is asking for a tender for a chance to promote a modified version of the Global 6500 private jet.
This business jet would be equipped with General Dynamics systems and would have the ability to carry out surveillance and anti-submarine warfare missions by launching torpedoes.
"An open call for proposals would be an opportunity for Canada to rethink its oversight capabilities," the letter says. Solutions built in Canada should, and must be, considered on an equal footing with those built abroad. »
It is not only Mr. Trudeau who is challenged by this common front. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and her colleagues Anita Anand (National Defence), Franois-Philippe Champagne (Innovation, Science and Industry) and Helena Jaczek (Public Services and Procurement) are also targeted.
Race for benefits
In the defence sector, Bombardier already counts among its customers countries such as the United States and Germany, which have turned to its products for surveillance missions. Its Global aircraft were assembled in Ontario and converted in Wichita, Kansas.
Boeing's Poseidon is assembled in the United States, but companies rooted in the Canadian market, such as CAE, GE Aviation Canada and Pratt & Whitney Canada, are suppliers of this military aircraft.
The U.S. aircraft manufacturer has already hinted that it could stop production of the P-8A after 2025 if it does not get enough new orders.
There are still questions surrounding the partnership announced by Bombardier and General Dynamics, owner of Gulfstream – a rival of the Quebec company in the niche of business aviation. It is not known how much the bill is to develop a version of the Global 6500 that would be able to do the same job as the CP-140.
The two partners will say more on May 31 at the CANSEC military show, the defence sector event held annually in Ottawa.
Note: 4 Number of Bombardier-built aircraft owned by the Canadian government. These are Challenger 650 and Challenger 604.