The Harper government froze spending on the multi-billion dollar plan to buy 65 new F-35 stealth jet fighters. Auditor general Michael Ferguson concluded the Defense Department low-balled estimates and kept Parliament in the dark about spiraling problems with the project. Ferguson was also highly critical of the Public Works Department for not exercising due diligence in overseeing what would be the single largest expenditure of Canadian taxpayers' money for a piece of military hardware.

Date: 2012-04-03
Placeline: OTTAWA, Ontario.
Source: The Canadian Press
Length: 14 seconds

Transcript Prediction: << it did not cost the project adequately emitting some important cost elements the department did not provide Parliament with complete cost information or fully inform decision-makers about the risks of this program >>

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