Feds order review of controversial helicopter deal with the Philippines
OTTAWA — The Trudeau government is taking a second look at plans to sell 16 Canadian-made helicopters to the Philippine military as concerns continue to mount about how the aircraft will be used.
The government initially defended the $300-million deal, which is being facilitated by the Canadian Commercial Corp., saying the Montreal-built Bell helicopters would be used for search-and-rescue missions and disaster relief.
But International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced Wednesday that he had ordered a review after a senior member of the Philippine military said the aircraft would also be used in “internal security operations.”
Human-rights and arms-control groups have accused the armed forces in the Philippines of extrajudicial killings, torture and other atrocities while fighting Islamic militants in the south of the country, and communist rebels in other areas.