Barry Cooper writes an excellent article in the Calgary Herald: "Clean up [Canadian] military procurement". While improved military procurement is a key transformation issue for the U.S. military, it's a key survival issue for the Canadian military. Some excerpts:

"Although the maritime helicopter project will long stand as the most egregious case of political interference in the military procurement process since the Second World War, it is only symptomatic of a system that is ridden with corruption, patronage and waste. The Canadian military, for a long time, has been forced to settle for hardware that can't do the job for which it was purchased....

So far only a handful of major purchases have been affected. But in the near future, Canada will have to replace its frigates, naval supply ships, fighter aircraft, a direct fire vehicle for the army and many other pieces of equipment. If the system is not cleaned up as soon as Chrétien leaves, the Canadian Forces may someday be purchasing their necessary goods at the local discount store."