Canadian military withheld fake plane part info

The Canadian military withheld information about fake parts in transport planes from government officials for months, CBC News reports.

In June the then Canadian associate defence minister Julian Fantino denied recently purchased Hercules planes contained counterfeit parts. Evidence soon contradicted Fantino. CBC News now reports Fantino made the statement in good faith, but was misinformed by the military.

Officials at the Canadian Department of National Defence admitted they knew about the fake part threat for four months before the Fantino interview. The information was withheld despite direct questioning about the presence of fake parts from Fantino’s office. 

CBC News offers two explanations for the mess. It is either an innocent internal communication failure, or a military cover up. Veteran investigative reporter Greg Weston notes the military has a history of viewing ministers ‘as a passing nuisance to be circumvented as much as possible.’

Fantino is now the minister of international development.