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OTTAWA — The same day Defence Minister Peter MacKay issued a flurry of seven press releases about minor renovations and the painting of buildings at military installations — worth thousands of dollars — the Conservative government quietly announced on an industry contracting website that it had awarded a German firm a $105-million contract for armoured vehicles.

This came on the same day that MacKay faced questions on the reported costs of Canada’s mission in Libya.

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Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird was in the Commons on Friday answering questions about a Postmedia News article that revealed how the government gave the contract to the German company FFG, but that the government’s notice described the order as “transmission components.”

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That has prompted accusations from opposition MPs the Conservatives are trying to hide details about military spending.

But Baird said the government was open and transparent about the deal, adding that a notice for it was put up on April 11 on the MERX site. That site is used by industry to bid on government work.