Update: Politics is politics--not

Industry Minister Maxime Bernier says invoking the "national security" clause for major defence equipment purchases will not lead to political interference in awarding contracts. Hmm.

The free hand of the market will decide the regional distribution of benefits flowing from $8-billion in military purchases, the federal Industry Minister said yesterday.

"I didn't enter politics to engage in patronage," Maxime Bernier said in an interview. "It was made clear at cabinet that this government will not engage in patronage."

Mr. Bernier, a former businessman and member of a conservative think tank in Montreal, said he will not intervene in favour of any company or region for contracts flowing from the military purchases.

He said that quotas in favour of the West, Quebec and the Atlantic will be in the 10-per-cent range, and that they would have been met regardless of federal intervention...

Mr. Bernier acknowledged that there is heavy lobbying surrounding the distribution of the benefits, but he said he "will not intervene" and intends to leave the process in the hands of the bureaucracy and the private sector...

I just wonder how the bureaucracy is part of the free hand of the market. Especially in Canada.