Your Conservative Party of Canada: Getting things done (on the side).

Integrity! Accountability! Transparency! Fiscal responsibility!

Yeah, whatever:

Canadian Forces' smart-bomb plan hits major snag

Canada's efforts to equip its CF-18 fighter jets with laser-guided smart bomb technology has hit a snag, with a ruling that the contract to do the work may have been improperly awarded, CTV News has learned.

In March, the Public Works Department awarded the massive $180 million contract to outfit the jets with Advanced Multi-Role Infrared Sensor systems to aerospace company Lockheed Martin.

But two competitors immediately began to complain.

Raytheon Company and Northrop Grumman Corporation -- both U.S.-based defence and aerospace leaders -- submitted lower bids to do the work.

In fact, an industry source tells CTV News one of the losing bids was $20 million lower than the one put forward by Lockheed Martin, which eventually won the contract.

And unlike Lockheed Martin, both Raytheon and Northrop Grumman had similar systems already in operation on F-18 jets around the world.

But ... but ... but ... look! Over there! Muslims! Wearing veils!

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along now.

NO, THIS DOESN'T QUITE PASS THE SMELL TEST. Not surprisingly, this isn't the first time Lockheed Martin has been given a cushy ride when it comes to military contracts from Canada's Corrupt Government. From December of last year:

From the outset, competing aircraft manufacturers have been crying foul over the fact that the Defence Department guidelines were so stringent as to exclude all but one possible contender - the C-130J produced by American manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

When it was learned Canadian procurement officers were already in Lockheed's U.S. headquarters in Marietta, Ga., negotiating a contract, the political daggers were drawn...

Just one day after O'Connor defended the C-130J as the right choice, the media reported a contradictory opinion in the form of an internal air force memo. Drafted in 2005, the DND assessment highlights the serious deficiencies in the C-130J fleets that are already in service with U.S. and British air forces.

Both the range and payload of the new generation of C-130 Hercules were described as "inadequate" by those already using them. The Canadian report's conclusion reads: "The bottom line with regards to the C-130J is that, although it looks like the venerable old C-130, it has yet to officially achieve the same level of operational capability as its forebears."

And as commenter Mike points out, Lockheed Martin and Gordon O'Connor happen to be neighbours. But I'm sure that's just a coincidence.