Rescue tab kept secret

[tuvor]

Rescue tab kept secret
Feds keep mission costs under wraps as efforts continue

The federal government won't divulge even a ballpark estimate of what's expected to be an exorbitant bill for evacuating thousands of Canadians from war-torn Lebanon.

Officials admitted yesterday the feds are paying a "premium" for ships and planes chartered in the emergency. Some estimates have pegged the evacuation price tag at half-a-billion dollars after expensive charters and massive staff overtime costs are tallied, but the government refused to release even preliminary figures.

"We are, of course, keeping track of all our expenses. All departments are contributing to this effort," said one senior government official. "We're not in a position to say how much this is all going to cost because we're not finished with the operation yet."

The decision was made "from the top" by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to waive cost recovery for those fleeing the war zone. Normal policy is to recoup costs from Canadians who receive consular services to get home, except in certain large-scale emergency operations.

http://ottsun.canoe.ca/News/National/2006/07/25/1700846-sun.html

[Laha]

1. Not that I trust that smirking Bush-wannabe..

But I'm not surprised sending ships into a war zone is exorbitantly exspensive, and as long as the money trail is documented and released to the public later, I don't think this is too much to worry about.

Although the fact that they seem to be hiding something in the first place admittedly does not look too good for them..

[Bassic]

2. Of course it's fucking expensive..

Why the fuck are they hiding it?

[CHIMO]

5. Well

The first thought that comes to my mind is that as it was an emergency and that special steps had to be taken.

Interpretation: we had to get our buddies to dole out the contracts. Only umpteen contracts in the deal.

[MrPrax]

3. Send the Bill to Israel...

Note that even if you accept Israel's claims, it still shouldn't let them off the hook for the costs...security isn't free.

Israel's actions are entirely it's own, but it still should accept responsibilities for those costs, no?

That's why international law comes in handy for a lot of things -- compensation.

[daleo]

4. It is worth it, whatever it costs

I don't know why they would hide the costs, though. Maybe Harper is concerned the worst troglodytes in the party will start spewing even more racist venom when they have a dollar figure to stoke their outrage.

[Spazito]

6. That's a good point, harper can't afford to have Canadians

remember his roots, the bigoted, racist Reform party and, there is little doubt his supporters contain a fair number of those bigots.

The other point made above is a good one,too, the one about contracts.

It WAS worth it no matter the cost but the details must be made public, imo.