OTTAWA -- The country's defence industry association says it warned the federal government over two years ago that the relationship with some of its members was rocky and Cold War-era policies governing their dealings needed an overhaul.
Christyn Cianfarani, president of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, says her organization fully supports recommendations in an independent report presented to the new Liberal government last fall, and even had a hand in the formation of the analysis.
The exhaustive study by the audit firm PricewaterhouseCooper examined federal contract pricing and policies and warned that the current system provides what it called perverse incentives for industry to hike their costs, particularly in military equipment deals.
But Cianfarani says her group presented its own analysis to former Conservative government officials in November 2013.
That report chronicles the sometimes toxic relationship with federal bureaucrats.
It cites examples of contractors being asked for estimates in 2011, with the government waiting until 2013 to place an order and then expecting to get the two-year-old price.
Cianfarani says the industry has seen some recognition of its concerns at senior level, but it has not translated to policies and procedures on the front line.
