While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Daniel Leblanc.
Ex-fighter pilot who has long been critical of U.S. jets could oversee dramatic increase in defence budget. Stephen Fuhr got his "Picasso" nickname back in his days as a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). He'd been ordered to produce detailed attack maps, but his abstract scribbles earned him a call sign inspired by the cubist master...
Trade war has strengthened resolve to boost military co-operation with Europe, Asia. The flareup in the Canada-U.S. tariff war has not only strengthened Ottawa’s resolve to boost military co-operation with Europe and Asia — it's also hurting prospects of major military purchases from the United States. In an interview, the head of the Defence Investment Agency says the Canadian public...
'Highly ill-advised' card comes amid tension over military procurement. Amid the ongoing review of Canada's fighter jet procurement, a federal public servant has been rebuked for distributing a custom-made business card featuring two Lockheed Martin F-35s at a recent military trade show. According to federal guidelines, all government business cards must follow a standardized template, with a Canadian flag as...
The federal government and more than 1,000 federally appointed judges are at odds over the best way to settle an ongoing salary dispute, raising concerns in both the legal and political community that the case could end up tarnishing the judiciary's reputation. The government refused last year to grant judges a salary increase of $28,000 to $36,000, as proposed by an independent committee.
GlobalEye supply chain could be used for major Gripen project as negotiations continue. The federal government is looking at expanding the military's fighter fleet beyond its original plan for 88 jets, according to industry and government sources. Negotiations are underway for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to acquire a larger mixed fleet of American-made Lockheed Martin F-35s and Saab Gripen-E...
The Canadian Armed Forces is requiring members to disclose relationships of a personal nature with a subordinate. Military personnel must from now on proactively report to their superior any "emotional, romantic, sexual or family relationship" that involve people of different rank, seniority, position or experience. The directive covers both new and existing relations.
Carney government wants to quickly pick a new fleet of detection aircraft with high Canadian content. The primary military threat facing Canada comes from hypersonic or cruise missiles arriving from the north, the sea or even space, launched by adversaries such as Russia or China, according to the Canadian Armed Forces. To defend itself, the government of Canada wants to...
Canada ordered 88 F-35s in 2023, but began reassessing its options after Trump took office. Senior executives from Lockheed Martin will be in Quebec on Tuesday to confirm that they plan to service Canada's F-35 aircraft at the L3Harris facilities in Mirabel, which are currently used to maintain Canada's CF-18 fleet. The announcement will be their first major outing on...
'Falsified' return follows previous reports of tens of millions lost to scammers. The Canada Revenue Agency has paid out another $5-million refund to a single taxpayer, this time to a B.C. businesswoman, despite what it now alleges was a bogus return that included "illogical" and "falsified information." According to court records obtained by CBC's the fifth estate and Radio-Canada, the...
Swedish company Saab says it's hoping to partner with the federal government and Canadian businesses to develop systems for the next generation of aerial warfare as it pursues deals to supply Ottawa with new aircraft. The company intends to produce Gripen fighters and GlobalEye surveillance planes on Canadian soil if they are purchased by the Canadian Armed Forces. Saab and...
Federal government rejected a recommended $28K-$36K salary hike for judges. An association of federal judges is asking the government to refer a dispute related to their compensation directly to the Supreme Court, according to a letter obtained by Radio-Canada. The Canadian Superior Court Judges Association argues it would be more efficient to simply ask the Supreme Court to settle the...
Despite an ongoing review, Ottawa made payments related to the acquisition of more U.S.-built fighters jets. Ottawa has started to make payments for key components for 14 additional U.S.-built F-35s, even as the Carney government has been reviewing future fighter-jet purchases in the context of trade tensions with Washington, sources have told CBC News. The money for these 14 aircraft...
Air Force commander to sign key component for first Canadian fighter in Texas. The Canadian Armed Forces will participate in a ceremony in Texas on Monday to celebrate the imminent arrival of their first F-35 — as Ottawa has still yet to announce how many U.S.-made fighter jets it will ultimately buy. The event comes as the future of the...
Swedish firm looking to manufacture aircraft for Canadian and international markets. The Canadian Armed Forces would need to buy 72 Gripen fighter jets and six GlobalEye surveillance aircraft for Swedish manufacturer Saab to deliver on its pledge of creating 12,600 jobs in Canada, CBC News has learned.
Proponents say U.S. approval — and Canada's full order of jets — would be necessary. Companies involved in the F-35 program are actively lobbying the governments of Canada and Quebec to promote potential economic benefits for the country, including maintenance facilities north of Montreal — but such benefits are only promised to materialize if the government makes good on its...
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is limiting the use of its 973 Chinese-made drones to non-sensitive operations, stating the devices present "high security risks, primarily due to their country of origin." Chinese drones make up about 80 per cent of the federal police force's fleet of 1,230 remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), which are used to monitor the Canada-U.S. border...
Data obtained by Radio-Canada shows Lockheed Martin jet was clear winner. The American-built F-35 fighter jet dominated its Swedish rival Gripen in terms of technical and military capabilities during a competition held by the Defence Department in 2021. The competition focused on each fighter jet's capabilities in defending the North American continent and the likelihood of success in various missions...
A dozen former high-ranking air force officers sent letter backing F-35 purchase. Former high-ranking officers of the Canadian Armed Forces are mounting a defence of the planned acquisition of 88 American F-35 fighter jets, hoping to put an end to the ongoing courtship between the Canadian government and the Swedish firm Saab. According to information obtained by Radio-Canada, a dozen...
$400M estimate for centre in New Brunswick made public in 2021. The budget for a new hospital for inmates in federal facilities is now estimated at $1.3 billion, over three times the $400-million estimate made public in 2021, according to federal documents and sources. The funding for the project in New Brunswick was approved by Treasury Board in December 2024...
Broader pattern of suspicious payouts requires external investigation: sources. More than two years after paying out $4.99 million in an allegedly bogus refund, the Canada Revenue Agency is stuck in Federal Court trying to figure out where the money went and how to get it back. The seven-figure refund was issued through the CRA’s automated processes in the spring of...
The federal industry minister is putting pressure on U.S.-based Lockheed Martin to provide more economic benefits in Canada if the government is to proceed with its planned purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets. Otherwise, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said in a French-language interview on Radio-Canada’s Les coulisses du pouvoir, Ottawa could move forward with a smaller fleet of F-35s and...
Spending on major military projects must boost economy, says Carney's defence procurement secretary of state. Ottawa will favour the pitch that creates the most Canadian jobs when it decides whether to award a contract for a dozen new submarines to a German or a South Korean consortium, the government's point person for military procurement says. The comments from Liberal MP...
Recommendation 'is insensitive to the current economic challenges of Canadians,' government responds. An independent body is calling on Ottawa to boost the salaries of the 1,200 judges who sit on federal courts by $28,000 to $36,000 a year, saying the raise is required to ensure that top private-sector lawyers keep applying for judicial appointments. While its conclusions are not binding...
Investment fund co-headed by Liberal leader acquired 51% of Westinghouse in 2023. During the first leaders' debate on Wednesday, Liberal Leader Mark Carney praised nuclear energy and named two companies in the sector with which he did business during his tenure at Brookfield Asset Management. In 2023, Brookfield formed a partnership with uranium mining firm Cameco to purchase the Westinghouse...
A $5-billion investment fund created under Mark Carney's leadership at Brookfield Asset Management was registered in the Cayman Islands tax haven, according to records obtained by Radio-Canada.
Liberal Party refuses to answer questions about leader's time in private sector. In his time at Brookfield Asset Management, Liberal Leader Mark Carney personally co-chaired two investment funds dedicated to the transition to a net-zero carbon economy, worth a total of $25 billion. Those funds were registered in Bermuda, among other locations, allowing investors to benefit from significant tax advantages...
Government preparing to fill all 10 vacant seats in coming weeks. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is planning a final wave of appointments to fill the 10 vacancies in the Senate before he retires in March, Radio-Canada has learned. The move would allow him to leave a mark on Parliament for years to come, as these unelected legislators will be able...
Revelations come as revenue minister set to testify at parliamentary committees. In early 2024, senior officials at the Canada Revenue Agency were so concerned it had wrongly authorized bogus refunds of tens of millions of dollars that they wrote confidential briefing notes stating that the agency was plagued by significant "gaps" in its ability to spot — and stop — scammers, records show.
Privacy commissioner launches investigation into Canada Revenue Agency. In the summer of 2023, a Canadian taxpayer logged into his Canada Revenue Agency account, falsely amended previous tax returns and wrongly claimed he was suddenly owed more than $40 million in refunds.
Agency admits it vastly underreported cyberattacks against Canadian taxpayers to Parliament. At the height of this year's tax season, the Canada Revenue Agency discovered that hackers had obtained confidential data used by one of the country's largest tax preparation firms, H&R Block Canada. Imposters used the company's confidential credentials to get unauthorized access into hundreds of Canadians' personal CRA accounts...
The Trudeau government is losing a key ally in its efforts to take hundreds of thousands of military-style firearms out of circulation, jeopardizing one of the top items in its public security agenda. Launched in 2020, the federal government's plan to buy back and destroy firearms it has banned — such as AR-15s — has long been vilified by firearms...
The federal government is preparing to welcome a frustrated workforce back to its offices on Sept. 9. Under a new policy announced in May, federal civil servants will have to spend at least three days per week in the office, while executives will have to spend at least four. Currently, civil servants are required to be in their offices only...
The RCMP is warning of a growing number of cases of public speech that could incite hatred and is asking whether it has the legal tools to counter the trend. RCMP Chief Superintendent Karine Gagné told Radio-Canada that while she wouldn't comment directly on the case of controversial imam Adil Charkaoui — who gave a speech in Arabic in Montreal...
The federal government is accelerating plans to put the Phoenix public service pay system out of its misery. Launched in 2016, the system — which cost taxpayers nearly $4 billion — has failed regularly to deliver public servants' paycheques on time, or in the right amounts. According to the government's latest tally, more than 300,000 of 425,000 Phoenix transactions had...
Ottawa is planning to roll out a mandatory buyback program for military-style firearms during the 2025 election year, after the program was delayed by Canada Post's refusal to participate, sources say. With only months to go before its launch, details of the vast logistical operation remain in flux, federal officials have told Radio-Canada.
The launch of a new national daycare program fuelled high hopes among Canadian families three years ago, but new figures show Ottawa is still a long way from meeting its goal of offering affordable spaces to "all families who need it" by 2026. Despite its budget of $30 billion over five years, the federal daycare program suffers from underfunding, according...
Officials at Veterans Affairs (VAC) feared that their decision to overrule the government's handpicked jury on a proposed design for the Afghan war memorial would be met with a "mixed reaction" that could "negatively affect the families of the fallen," says an internal department memo obtained by Radio-Canada. Last June, the department chose a design by Indigenous artist Adrian Stimson...
The federal government will await the results of another investigation into a controversial green fund before it decides whether to allow the organization to resume distributing funds to companies in the clean tech sector. In early October, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne suspended new funding distribution by Sustainable Development Technologies Canada (SDTC), which has been rocked by complaints from whistleblowers and...
Cameron Ortis, convicted by a jury Wednesday of violating Canada's secrets act, was arrested when he was "on the cusp" of passing state secrets to a foreign entity, a Crown prosecutor alleged during the former RCMP official's bail hearing in 2019. When RCMP officers raided Cameron Ortis's condo in late August 2019, they were hunting for clues related to leaks...
Whistleblowers who exposed problems at a federal green fund are calling for protection from possible professional or legal retaliation. The organization targeted by the whistleblowers earlier this year is Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), a foundation created and funded by the federal government.