The Canadian government is being urged to restart a $100 million project aimed at acquiring night-vision equipment for the military. This recommendation follows allegations that the procurement process favored U.S. manufacturers. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal made this suggestion on November 17 after a complaint was filed by Cadex Inc., a Quebec-based defense firm, along with Photonis, a French company.

Originally, bids for the night-vision binoculars were scheduled to be submitted by May 2. However, last-minute changes to the specifications for the image intensifier tubes, which are crucial components of the binoculars, effectively restricted the options to systems produced by U.S. companies. This limitation raised concerns among defense industry representatives, who noted that such a restriction would place the parts under U.S. arms export regulations. Consequently, this would give the United States control over the distribution of these essential components.

The tribunal criticized the federal government for not providing a clear and reasonable explanation for the changes made to the specifications. As a result, it recommended that Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) revise the solicitation for the night-vision binoculars and issue it again. This move aims to ensure a fairer bidding process that does not unduly favor any specific country or manufacturer.