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A contingent of bureaucrats from Public Services and Procurement Canada as well as military officers from the Canadian Forces are going to the Paris Air Show this week. They are there to meet with aerospace firms to find out about the capabilities of their fighter jets in preparation for a competition the Liberals have promised starting in 2019 to replace the CF-18 jets.

Several readers, including some in industry, have questioned why these individuals must travel to Paris at taxpayers’ expense. They point to the following:

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the capabilities of the potential replacement aircraft are well known, having been researched for years now by the DND/Canadian Forces and Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Some of the major players (Lockheed Martin and Boeing for instance) have Ottawa offices. No need to travel to Paris to get details about planes.

Aerospace firms have indicated they are more than willing to travel to Ottawa to discuss their aircraft.

Two weeks ago at CANSEC defence trade show in Ottawa, all the major aircraft companies were in attendance, more than willing to talk to any government or military official about their aircraft.

So what is happening here?

One reader put it simply: It is a taxpayer funded vacation for bureaucrats and officers.

In Paris this time of the year, and with airfare included, expect each person to cost the Canadian public at least $5,000.

How many are going?

Who knows? The departments aren’t saying.