Maclean’s on the Hill: Fighter jets, electoral reform, fundraising

Two cabinet ministers, Harjit Sajjan and Maryam Monsef, join the podcast to defend their plans for military procurement and a new voting system

By Maclean’s

November 26, 2016

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Each week, the Maclean’s Ottawa bureau sits down with Cormac Mac Sweeney to discuss the headlines of the week. This week, fighter jets took the spotlight as the Trudeau government announced plans to buy 18 Super Hornet jets on an interim basis. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan joins the podcast to discuss his strategy—and reveals the government may be buying more jets than we originally thought. Next, we hear from the author of a new book, which argues military procurement in Canada is a mess which needs to be cleaned up. Kim Richard Nossal is a professor of political studies at Queen’s University, and the author of a new and timely book. It’s called Charlie Foxtrot: Fixing Defence Procurement in Canada. Just days before a committee is set to release a key report on the Trudeau government’s promise to change Canada’s federal voting system, Democratic institutions Minister Maryam Monsef appears to leave a sliver of hope for those pushing for a referendum. Monsef is on the podcast to talk about what’s on the table. And finally, Maclean’s Ottawa bureau chief John Geddes joins Cormac to break down the cash-for-access fundraising fiasco that has flooded the Prime Minister and his inner circle with criticism. Subscribe on iTunes today or play below.

The full episode

Part 1. Harjit Sajjan defends his fighter jet plan

A Royal Canadian Air Force CF-188 Hornet breaks away from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, after competing refueling, March 4, 2015, over Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Perry Aston/RELEASED)

This week, fighter jets took the spotlight as the Trudeau government announced plans to buy 18 Super Hornet jets on an interim basis. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan joins the podcast to discuss his strategy—and reveals the government may be buying more jets than we originally thought.

Part 2. Military procurement is a long-term mess

Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. (Matthew Otero/AP)

We hear from the author of a new book, which argues military procurement in Canada is a mess which needs to be cleaned up. Kim Richard Nossal is a professor of political studies at Queen’s University, and the author of a new and timely book. It’s called Charlie Foxtrot: Fixing Defence Procurement in Canada.

Part 3. Will Canadians vote on a new voting system?

Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef answers a question in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 14, 2016. (Adrian Wyld/AP)

Just days before a committee is set to release a key report on the Trudeau government’s promise to change Canada’s federal voting system, Democratic institutions Minister Maryam Monsef appears to leave a sliver of hope for those pushing for a referendum. Monsef is on the podcast to talk about what’s on the table.

Part 4. Fundraising in Ottawa is the wild west

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leaves the stage following a discussion on women’s leadership in Monrovia, Liberia. (Adrian Wyld/CP)

Maclean’s Ottawa bureau chief John Geddes joins Cormac to break down the cash-for-access fundraising fiasco that has flooded the Prime Minister and his inner circle with criticism.