Bravo Zulu

Well done Stephen! You don't get much clearer than this.

Whether it was Ministerial jockeying, regional lobbying or simply rumour and innuendo as described by Tom Brodbeck yesterday, in the "where's there's smoke, there's probably fire" category, this situation was threatening to become a Towering Inferno.

Market forces will determine distribution of Boeing benefits, PM says

"This government and our ministers have no intention of interfering in the regional distribution of the contracts," Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters yesterday afternoon.

Laying down the law, Mr. Harper said it is up to market forces to determine which companies would receive benefits flowing from the government's purchase of C-17 cargo aircraft from Boeing Co.

"It depends on the company that has the contract and its relations with other industry players," Mr. Harper said.

One down and many to go. The key now is to remain vigilant on the numerous other military contracts over the coming years. For far too long in Canada the military and it's budget have been used as a regional development or job creation program, usually to the overall detriment of the military (Those damn Iltis keep springing to mind for some reason).