Canada's Defence Procurement Crisis: Why Failure is the Norm

Abstract

This thesis explores the manner in which the current method of defence procurement in Canada, a process which is fraught with cancellations, delays, and cost over-runs, is not likely to be altered in the foreseeable future. The implementation of Industrial Regional Benefits (IRBs) and Key Industrial Capabilities (KICs), an initiative that ensures defence procurement contracts are given to Canadian companies located throughout the country, is too beneficial politically and domestically for the Government of Canada (GoC) to abolish. These two programs ensure that Canadians across the country will benefit from the employment and domestic advantages that having a Canadian procurement policy enable. While these programs provide labour and economic opportunities throughout the country, there are a number of critics who question the current model of defence procurement and offer solutions on how to remedy the current system. These people have many valid suggestions on how to create a Canadian defence procurement policy that provides the Canadian Armed Forces with modern equipment in a timely and cost-efficient fashion. While these recommendations would most likely ensure that Canadian defence procurement would improve, the majority of these solutions are in contradiction to IRBs and KICs. Since these suggestions do not include these two factors, these policies are not likely to be implemented by the GoC.