Winter 2010 - Project Ploughshares

Project Ploughshareshelps shape thedebate on the F-35Joint Strike Fighteraircraft controversyIn the last few months the proposed purchase by theCanadian government of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircrafthas been the subject of ongoing public discussion and debatein the Canadian media and in the House of Commons.Ploughshares’ response has helped to shape the debate.• August 12: Ploughshares Briefing 10/3. Why Joint Strikeaircraft? Program costs rise and benefits carry risks byPloughshares Senior Program Associate Kenneth Epps.• August 24: Globe and Mail article, “Critics set to launchnew attacks on untendered deal to buy fighter jets,” quotesextensively from Briefing 10/3.• August 25: Epps appears in Global TV news coverage ofthe F-35 and Prime Minister Harper’s visit to the CanadianNorth. Epps is also interviewed on “Afternoon Newswith Tom Young” on News 95.7 radio.• August 29: Ploughshares Executive Director JohnSiebert is interviewed by Mike Blanchard on the nationallysyndicated radio program The Roy Green Show on theJoint Strike Fighter purchase.• September 15: Siebert and Epps address the Houseof Commons Standing Committee on National Defenceabout the proposed purchase by Canada of 65 Joint StrikeFighter F-35 aircraft.• October 4: “Parliamentary review of new fighter aircraftneeded” by Kenneth Epps in Autumn 2010 PloughsharesMonitor.• November 4: Ploughshares Briefing 10/4. The size ofthe F-35 market is overstated by Kenneth Epps.• November 5: Reference to Briefing 10/4 in Globe andMail article, “F-35 ‘glitches’ won’t affect Canadian fighterjet order, MacKay says.”• November 6: Reference to Briefing 10/4 inDavid Pugliese’s Defence Watch.StafftransitionsIn November Christina Woolner begana three-year appointment with ProjectPloughshares as Project Officer. Herprincipal role will be to support theimplementation of our project tostrengthen cooperation in Caribbeancountries to reduce gun crime, but shewill also work on other Ploughsharesprojects and programs.Christina has an MA in International Peace Studiesfrom Notre Dame University and a BA from WilfridLaurier University in Global Studies and Religion andCulture. As a Ploughshares intern she worked on theArmed Conflicts Report. She has also worked in SouthAfrica and Russia. 21The Ploughshares Monitor I Winter 2010