OTTAWA - Holy question period, Batman!
Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino reached heavenward for words Thursday when trying to defend his government's purchase of F-35 fighter jets during question period.
Fantino said a recent report criticizing the purchase in the Canadian Foreign Policy Journal was "critical of everything that is holy and decent about the government's efforts" to equip the Canadian Forces.
The junior minister was immediately drowned out by less-than-angelic heckling and laughter in the House of Commons.
New Democrat MP Matthew Kellway said Fantino's remark explained the Tory commitment to the plane.
"It's on a wing and a prayer that they're moving forward on the F-35," Kellway said.
"There's no reasonable grounds, there's no evidence available to suggest that this is the right plane, which is why we're proposing that they put it out to tender, to determine what the right plane is."
The debate over the cost of the F-35 fleet continues to bedevil the Conservatives in Parliament.
The Harper government insists it will pay roughly US$75 million per aircraft when it starts buying in 2016, but critics say they don't have any faith in those numbers.
The U.S. and Britain recently signed a deal for the delivery of early-production aircraft at between US$140 million and US$145 million per plane.
Canadian officials have long insisted that the price will drop as the assembly line ramps up. Ottawa is looking at a fleet of 65 to replace the current CF-18s.
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F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
FIIn this file photo taken on July 14, 2011 and released by U.S. Air Force, a USAF F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) aircraft soars over Destin, Fla., before landing at its new home at Eglin Air Force Base. Japan selected the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, to replace aging jets in its air force and bolster its defense capability amid regional uncertainty. (AP Photo/U.S. Air Force, Staff Sgt. Joely Santiago)
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
A F-35 Lightning II sits on stage during the United Kingdom F-35 Lightning II delivery ceremony on July 19, 2012 at Lockheed Martin Corporation in Fort Worth, Texas. The ceremony marked the first international delivery of an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to a partner nation. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
(Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Plane models stand outside the Lockheed Martin Corporation during the United Kingdom F-35 Lightning II Delivery Ceremony on July 19, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas. The ceremony marked the first international delivery of an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to a partner nation. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet sits in front the entrance of the Asian Aerospace 2004 show in Singapore 24 February 2004. The Asia Pacific offers one of the world's strongest prospects for defence-related spending, US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin said Tuesday as it expressed confidence in remaining a major supplier to the region's governments (AFP PHOTO/ROSLAN RAHMAN)
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
(AFP PHOTO/CARL DE SOUZA)
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
A Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lighning II fighter jet sits on the tarmac for static display at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore on February 12, 2012. Boeing's much-delayed 787 Dreamliner is set to star at the Singapore Airshow this week where companies touting private jets and defence hardware to the Asian market will also be out in force. (ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images)
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
(ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images)
F35 JSF Take Off
F-35A Flight with External Stores
On Feb. 16, 2012, the first external weapons test mission was flown by an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The F-35A is designed to carry up to 18000 pounds on 10 weapon stations featuring four weapon stations inside two weapon bays, for maximum stealth capability, and an additional three weapon stations on each wing.
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
IN AIR, NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, MD - FEBRUARY 11: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been received by U.S. Military prior to transmission) In this image released by the U.S. Navy courtesy of Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Navy variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C, conducts a test flight February 11, 2011 over the Chesapeake Bay. Lt. Cmdr. Eric 'Magic' Buus flew the F-35C for two hours, checking instruments that will measure structural loads on the airframe during flight maneuvers. The F-35C is distinct from the F-35A and F-35B variants with larger wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear for greater control when operating in the demanding carrier take-off and landing environment. (Photo by U.S. Navy photo courtesy Lockheed Martin via Getty Images)
F-35 First Ship Landing
Courtesy: NAVAIR/JSF Program/Lockheed Martin
F35 Hovering
F-35 Flight Test Highlights
Highlights of F-35 flight testing at NAS Patuxent River, Md., NAS Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, and Edwards AFB, Calif.
F-35 Performs First Night Flight
The first night flight in the history of the Lockheed Martin F-35 program was completed on Jan. 19, 2012 in the skies above Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Piloted by Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Mark Ward, AF-6, an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, launched at 5:05 pm PST and landed after sunset at 6:22 pm
F-35 Airstart Testing
An F-35 test pilot talks about airstart testing at Edwards AFB, Calif., in early 2012.
F35 Air Show
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First Posted: 02/ 9/2012 5:28 pm Updated: 02/10/2012 10:40 am