OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives are accusing the Liberal government of relying on announcements and negotiations instead of delivering tangible results on defence procurement, following the selection of TKMS as the preferred supplier for Canada’s new submarine fleet.
Conservative defence critic James Bezan and defence procurement critic Jeff Kibble issued a joint statement Monday criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.
The Conservatives say the government has not signed a contract with TKMS and has instead entered further negotiations with the German shipbuilder.
They accused Carney of using the announcement to generate positive publicity ahead of this week’s NATO summit and criticized the government for not providing a cost estimate or detailed procurement timeline.
The Conservatives also pointed to the government’s yet-to-be-released national security strategy and questions surrounding Ottawa’s plans to increase defence spending.
Conservative finance critic Michael Chong called on Carney last week to provide details on how the government plans to increase defence spending to four per cent of gross domestic product by the end of the decade.
The Conservatives say the government has not provided the Parliamentary Budget Officer with sufficient information about its defence spending plans despite repeated requests.
Bezan and Kibble also raised concerns about the state of Canada’s submarine fleet and the length of time required to acquire replacements.
Canada’s four Victoria-class submarines were purchased from the United Kingdom in 1998 and have experienced periods of limited availability during their service with the Royal Canadian Navy.
The Conservatives say the earliest delivery of the first replacement submarine remains at least eight years away and argue delays in replacing the fleet have contributed to the erosion of Canada’s submarine capability and naval expertise.
The party has increasingly pressed the Liberal government since the spring to demonstrate tangible results from major policy and spending announcements, arguing Canadians should be able to assess completed contracts, timelines and expenditures rather than government plans and commitments.
The Conservatives say years of Liberal management of the Canadian Armed Forces have left the military without adequate equipment and are calling on the government to move more quickly to complete defence procurements and provide greater transparency about costs and timelines.
The Liberal government has said rebuilding Canada’s military capabilities and expanding defence spending are priorities as Canada works to meet its commitments to NATO and strengthen Arctic and national security.
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