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http://thechronicleherald.ca/Canada/1227484.htmlPrime Minister Stephen Harper boards his plane, Airbus No.1, in May. The prime minister is the apparent winner of a tug of war with Canada’s military over the government’s VIP aircraft. (Adrian Wyld / CP)
PM’s office wants Airbus paint job
Harper, MacKay disagree on colour
By DEAN BEEBY The Canadian Press
Mon, Feb 14 - 4:54 AM
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been locked in a lengthy tug of war with his defence minister over the future of the military’s VIP Airbus, newly disclosed documents show.
Peter MacKay has repeatedly rejected requests from the prime minister’s staff to have the Airbus painted a civilian white and red instead of its current military grey.
MacKay and senior officers argue that the white colour scheme would be too visible whenever the passenger jet is sent on troop and cargo missions to risky locales, as happens now when the aircraft is not needed by the prime minister or the Governor General.
Senior government officials say no final decision has been made.
But internal emails indicate the Privy Council Office — Harper’s own department — in fact ordered the military last September to arrange for the new paint job at the next scheduled maintenance.
Documents outlining the two-year tussle over the VIP plane were obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.
The air force owns five Airbus 310 transports, one of which is configured on the inside for VIPs.
Since early 2009, the Prime Minister’s Office has been raising the possibility of a civilian paint scheme with the minister of defence or directly with the military — only to be rebuffed repeatedly.
"As a result of the multi-role nature of this aircraft, which includes the transporting of Canadian Forces personnel and equipment into areas of operations, it has been painted in a colour scheme appropriate for those tasks," MacKay wrote in June 2009, dismissing the suggestion.
The repainting proposal originated early in 2009 by someone in close contact with the Prime Minister’s Office, and whose identity is withheld in the released documents.
In August 2009, MacKay repeated his initial opposition.
"I am confident that the current policies that govern Department of National Defence decisions regarding colour scheme and markings of all Canadian Forces aircraft ensure consideration of the many and varied missions and are made in the best interests of all those missions," he said in a terse email.
A spokesman for the Privy Council Office says the proposed paint job is still under discussion.
"No decision has been taken on this," said Raymond Rivet.
But a military email from last September suggests otherwise.
"PCO has received direction to proceed with the painting of Airbus 001 in its white configuration," a senior military officer reported to air force brass on Sept. 13.
