Justin's donor gets $40mil for french fries instead of ships

[Pete Podoski]

Federal military procurement program could result in more french fry plants instead of high-tech defence jobs


The government allowed Irving Shipbuilding to claim a $40M industrial benefit credit for a french fry factory as part of a contract to provide navy ships



The federal government’s industrial benefits program for military procurement is so open to interpretation that instead of high-tech defence industry jobs Canada could end up with more plants that produce french fries, say procurement specialists.

The government has allowed Irving Shipbuilding to claim a $40-million industrial benefit credit for an Alberta french fry factory as part of a contract to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships, the Globe and Mail confirmed Thursday.

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/ ... fence-jobs

[Catsumi]

Is ANYONE surprised that Lil Spud throws our money at French Fries?

[jimmy4321]

When was the official end to Freedom Fries??

[Catsumi]

Let me ask this another way:

Does anyone see the hypocracy of taxing sodas under the guise of 'saving Canadians from themselves' while aiding and abetting the french fry business?

The soda tax will raise billions $ from consumers, while having 40 Million (so far) covered for Irving through a tax credit, money lost to us that could have been used in health care.

[rustled]

I doubt they'll make the soda tax a part of their platform.

Dang. Even as I was typing that I realized once the election has happened, they'll just do whatever they want.

[rustled]

The french fry plant is just the tip of the iceberg. It's certainly wrong to mislead the public about defence spending, but here's the bigger problem:

The department did not answer a question from Postmedia about whether it violated privacy laws in offering Irving details of the Globe’s request.

Does Qualtrough even know? Probably not.

Williams said the actions of federal bureaucrats in both the Globe and Postmedia cases is a violation of the privacy law. “It is certainly unethical and immoral to do that,” he added. “From a basic integrity standpoint you just don’t do that.”

Public Services and Procurement Canada has also on two occasions turned over information about Postmedia journalists and their questions about shipbuilding to Irving or an Irving associate.

Public Services Minister Carla Qualtrough told journalists Thursday she wished that Irving had not threatened legal action against the Globe and Postmedia for trying to write articles on the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships, saying she would raise the issue with Irving.

While she stopped short of saying whether the company’s actions were appropriate, she said the government is reviewing its policies on divulging journalists’ names and other personal information to companies with government contracts.

When bureaucrats leak information about journalists, it's DEFLECT with "oh, I wish Irving hadn't threatened legal action" and then DEMURE "we will review our policies".

I suspect the review is to find out the answer to this:

The department did not answer a question from Postmedia about whether it violated privacy laws in offering Irving details of the Globe’s request.

[OKkayak]

Irving obviously needs a new corporate slogan:

"Irving Coast to Coast From Chips to Ships!"

[Catsumi]

I heartily endorse the new motto, Okkayak. Good job. Run with it to Irving. I foresee riches in your future.

Rustled, Some time back I posted that story about the inquiring reporter being threatened by Irving almost minutes after he put in the request for info through freedom of information channels to gov't officials.

Only now is the story getting traction.

I think the bigger question here is just who, in that department, decided to tip off Irving that a reporter was nosing around under the dirty rug.

It is part of my smallish campaign here that Whistleblowers and investigative journalists NEED and DESERVE protection from a secretive, vindictive, law breaking, immoral government.

[Smurf]

I wonder if Irving also has the contract to supply french fries for the armed forces.

[OKkayak]

[Catsumi]

I wonder if Irving also has the contract to supply french fries for the armed forces.

For a 40 Million tax credit they should be supplying filet mignon. To us.

[csm]

Let me ask this another way:

Does anyone see the hypocracy of taxing sodas under the guise of 'saving Canadians from themselves' while aiding and abetting the french fry business?

The soda tax will raise billions $ from consumers, while having 40 Million (so far) covered for Irving through a tax credit, money lost to us that could have been used in health care.

Not to mention processed French fries contribute to cardiovascular disease and strokes.

He's an idiot - Trudeau Must Go!!

[alanjh595]

I wonder if Irving also has the contract to supply french fries for the armed forces.

For a 40 Million tax credit they should be supplying filet mignon. To us.

They already do, but it comes as a tax credit and a subsidy by way of free medical.

[Catsumi]

For those who missed this installment of how a corrupt Lib government operates, try to follow the bouncing ball here, from awarding a shipbuilding contract to a party supporter and donator; welds in question and reporter requests access to info; government not only does not cooperate with reporter but runs to Irving with the news of investigation; Irving threatens reporter who goes public with that story and of course, the fallout is 40 M worth of fries.


From NP

Federal bureaucrats warned Irving Shipbuilding about journalist's questions — generating 200 pages of documents along the way

A journalist’s question about a potential problem with the Royal Canadian Navy’s new Arctic patrol ships prompted federal bureaucrats to generate more than 200 pages of documents as they warned Irving Shipbuilding about the news outlet’s interest in the multibillion dollar program.

But Public Services and Procurement Canada has ignored its requirement under the Access to Information Act to release those records within the stipulated 30 days, and is now in violation of the law.

The department told Postmedia it doesn’t know when it will release the documents or how much of their contents will be censored.

The access law allows any individual to file a request for federal records in exchange for a $5 fee. The Liberal government campaigned on making government open and transparent.

This request, which the department received in early April, was sent after Procurement Canada acknowledged it had alerted Irving that a Postmedia journalist had asked the department questions about potential issues with welds on the new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships being built by the firm. Procurement Canada bureaucrats also provided the journalist’s private information to Irving officials. They never did answer the questions.

Instead, shortly after, Irving threatened to sue Postmedia if it published any article indicating that there were significant problems with the welds.

Last week, the office of Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains alerted Irving that Globe and Mail journalists had asked that department whether an investment in an Alberta french fry plant counted toward the industrial benefits requirements established under the Arctic ship program. (Under the government’s industrial and technological benefits policy, the prime contractors on military procurement projects are required to do work in Canada equal to 100 per cent of the value of the contract they receive.) As a result the newspaper received a letter from an Irving lawyer threatening legal action if the article contained any allegations of improper conduct.

Asked why the Liberal government is not releasing the material Postmedia requested under the access law, Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough’s office and the department suggested Monday the news outlet should contact Procurement Canada’s access to information branch — the same branch that had already informed Postmedia it didn’t know when the documents would be released.

Postmedia also asked Qualtrough’s office how many other times since Oct. 30 2015 had the department or minister’s office shared the private information or identity of journalists and their questions with the Irvings.

The department responded with a statement that it takes “privacy rights and obligations very seriously,” but did not answer the question.

Qualtrough has defended the practice of federal officials and how they cooperate with companies regarding journalists who ask the government questions about defence contracts. But she added that she wished Irving hadn’t threatened lawsuits against newspapers who were asking such questions.

Irving spokesman Sean Lewis said that while Irving respects the work of journalists, in the case of the Globe and Postmedia the company threatened legal action because reporters “had highly inaccurate information that would cause our company, and the reputation of our hardworking employees, considerable reputational damage.” in fact, in the case of Postmedia, the Department of National Defence later confirmed that there had been minor problems with welds on the Arctic ships. In the case of the Globe, Irving confirmed it had received the benefit credit for the french fry plant.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada did not answer a question about whether it violated privacy laws in offering Irving details of the Globe’s request. Like Procurement Canada, the department would not provide any numbers on how many times it has shared information about journalists and their questions with the Irvings.

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