Editing Jean Chrétien (section)

=== Defence policy ===

In 1993, Chrétien [[Canadian Sea King replacement|canceled the contract to buy the EH-101 helicopters]], requiring the search for new helicopters to start over, and paid a $478&nbsp;million [[termination fee]] to [[AgustaWestland]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080921090301/http://www.casr.ca/id-mhp.htm Politics, Procurement Practices, and Procrastination: The CH-124 Sea King Helicopter Replacement Saga]</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/24/business/international-briefs-canada-settles-claim-on-canceled-helicopters.html|title=INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS;Canada Settles Claim On Canceled Helicopters|date=January 24, 1996|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=September 22, 2016}}</ref>

In January 1998, Chrétien's government announced that the CH-113 helicopters would be replaced by a scaled-down search-and-rescue variant of the EH101, carrying the designation [[CH-149 Cormorant]]. Unlike the Petrel/Chimo contract which Chrétien had cancelled in 1993, these 15 aircraft were to be built entirely in Europe with no Canadian participation or industrial incentives. The first two aircraft arrived in Canada in September 2001 and entered service the following year. His Maritime Helicopter Project was supposed to find a low-cost replacement aircraft. The candidates were the [[Sikorsky S-92]], the [[NHIndustries NH90]] and the EH-101, although critics accused the government of designing the project so as to prevent AgustaWestland from winning the contract. A winner, the [[Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone]], would not be announced until after Chrétien retired.<ref>[http://www.casr.ca/id-mhp.htm Politics, Procurement Practices, and Procrastination: the CH-124 Sea King Helicopter Replacement Saga] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203020231/http://www.casr.ca/id-mhp.htm |date=December 3, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/mini/CTVNews/20031030/Sea_Kings_031030?s_name=budget2005&no_ads= |title=PM defends record on grounded Sea King choppers |publisher=Ctv.ca |date=October 30, 2003 |access-date=January 28, 2011}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/cdnmilitary/seaking.html |title=Requiem for the Sea King |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=November 30, 2008 |access-date=June 6, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Windsor |first=The |url=http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=2b077397-f0f8-48e2-8a31-04695520e2d9 |title=Helicopter delays blamed on Chrétien |publisher=Canada.com |date=January 12, 2008 |access-date=January 28, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826152806/http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=2b077397-f0f8-48e2-8a31-04695520e2d9 |archive-date=August 26, 2012 }}</ref>