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Media coverage of the use of government aircraft by Canada's topsoldier and Defence Minister Peter MacKay led to tension over a"lacklustre defence" of MacKay by the military, as well asincreased pressure to justify when to use the government'sChallenger VIP jet, newly released emails suggest. The emails date back to two controversies last fall over travel byMacKay and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk. One of the messages indicates MacKay's staff weren't happy with theamount of support they got from the Canadian Forces after a reportsurfaced last September that MacKay had taken a Cormorant searchand rescue chopper from a summer holiday at a fishing lodge to anearby airport in Gander, Nfld., so he could get to a governmentnews conference in London, Ont. MacKay initially said he had been observing a search and rescueexercise executed by the helicopter and its crew. His staff laterconfirmed that he had been the subject of a hoist manoeuvre to lifthim into the helicopter because it was too dangerous to land. In December, after months of coverage, the commander of the searchand rescue squadron in Gander did an interview in which he said hewas happy to pick up MacKay in the Cormorant. Stephen Reid said itgave the crew facetime with their minister. An email from Col. Jeff Tasseron, one of Natynczyk's senioradvisors, describes a phone call he got from MacKay's chief ofstaff, John MacDonell, about Reid's support. Describing the phone call as "odd," Tasseron says MacDonell wantedto make sure there was no retribution against Reid for defendingMacKay. "He [MacDonell] also made sure I understood that they weredissatisfied that this individual only came out on his ownrecognizance, rather than as part of a concerted plan to defend theminister," Tasseron wrote to Natynczyk. Problem is the 'lacklustre defence' "He is clearly of the opinion that their own office's handling ofthis was fine, and that it has been our lacklustre defence that hasbeen the real problem," Tasseron said in the email. A spokesman for Natynczyk said the comments in the email areself-explanatory, but that it would be a stretch to say there istension between the two offices. "The offices of the CDS and minister maintain a cordial andprofessional relationship," Lt.-Col. Norbert Cyr said in an emailto CBC News. A spokesman for MacKay denied any problems. "This office and the Canadian Forces have a strong professionalrelationship," Josh Zanin said in an email. The documents released under federal Access to Information lawsshow a search-and-rescue (SAR) technician who hoisted MacKay alsoadded his support through an email to a military communicationsadvisor. "Thought the [Minister of National Defence] should know his guysare behind him," Morgan Biderman wrote. "The training was more realistic, utilizing an authorized,non-experienced participant, who was willing and excited toexercise our SAR live hoisting capability...if it has a spinoffbenefit of transporting him...I consider it a win-win for allconcerned!" A week before news of MacKay's Cormorant flight broke, it wasrevealed Natynczyk had used government planes to travel tofundraisers, football and hockey games and to join his family on acruise in the Caribbean. Natynczyk said he was using the jets to travel to and from eventswhere he was representing the military and that the Challenger,which costs $2,630 an hour to fly, is forced to fly dozens of hoursa year without passengers so that pilots can maintain theirproficiency. Natynczyk said it was cheaper to use the Challengerthan to fly commercially, especially when he travelled with severalstaff. The $2,630 cost doesn't include pilot salaries, training costs oraircraft depreciation. MacKay's office refused VIP jet use The emails show Natynczyk's staff working to justify using theChallenger on long trips rather than booking commercial airlinetickets. MacKay's office refused to request the Challenger for a trip thattook MacKay, Natynczyk and others to see Canadian Forces membersworking off the coast of Libya and in Kabul, Afghanistan for a Dec.22-25 trip. Natynczyk's aide de camp had asked his assistant on Nov. 30, 2011,to prepare a rundown of commercial flight costs for 18 people tofly Ottawa to Kuwait via Rome, plus another nine to fly Ottawa toKuwait. "In order to show our homework when arguing for Challenger use, Irequire the following data," Maj. Steve Popowych instructed. By the end of the day, Tasseron reported the request was denied. "Notwithstanding my attempt to adequately explain the timing,security and feasibility considerations related to my proposal forusing Challenger aircraft to move between Rome and Kuwait, Mr.[MacDonell] has indicated that the [Minister of National Defence'sOffice] will not consider its use," he wrote. "Commercial it is," Natynczyk replied. Governor General David Johnston and five passengers not named inthe documents took a Challenger from Ottawa to Rome and back tojoin the visit to HMCS Vancouver off the coast of Libya. I am an expert from ipl-beautymachines.com, while we provides the quality product, such as IPL Beauty Machine Manufacturer , E-Light Skin Rejuvenation, IPL Skin Rejuvenation Machine,and more.
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