Tactical airlifter: Airbus won't give up

"Jilted military Airbus contractor wants review".

When Liberal national defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh criticizes the purchase of the C-130J the government should simply point out that this was the situation in November, 2005:

The federal government tried to rebut claims that the fix is in for Lockheed Martin's C-130J by appointing an independent monitor to oversee the procurement of up to $5 billion worth of military transport aircraft.

With lobbyists already in full-blitz mode, Defence Minister Bill Graham said Monday he's going ahead with a "competitive, fair and transparent" plan to buy 16 replacements for the military's aging fleet of Hercules planes.

The process will be fast -- the one-page statement of performance requirements will go out in 10 days and bidders will have just 30 days to study it...

Of course then Conservative national defence critic Gordon O'Connor was making the same sort of criticism of the rapid purchase of C-130Js that the opposition parties are now making. Silly him. Plus ça change...in Canadian politics.

Update: Would you buy a plane that hasn't flown from these guys:

Police raid EADS, Lagardère as probe intensifies

The A380 saga so far, here.

Upperdate: The actual exchanges in Question Period, Tuesday (via David Akins On the Hill).