No, it is not a conflict of interest (unless you can show that that he is still involved in his old job).
Well as MND o'connor has been in office for a day it is certainly doubtful whether it is a "conflict in fact" in this case but "conflict in appearance" is another thing. I was looking for a definition and found this:
"It is of utmost importance to the profession that the general public maintain confidence in the independence of independent auditors. Public confidence would be impaired by evidence that independence was actually lacking, and it might also be impaired by the existence of circumstances which reasonable people might believe likely to influence independence." AICPA (sure this is for american auditors but the point is the same)
And why is this going to keep getting a lot of play in the next few months?.....
Tories want review of Forces' $5B aircraft purchase
If elected, party could reopen bidding to other companies, including Airbus
David Pugliese
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
A new Conservative government will review all aspects of the $5-billion replacement of the military's aging Hercules fleet, says the man behind the Tory's defence platform.
Gordon O'Connor, the party's defence critic and the incumbent in Carleton-Mississippi Mills, said in an interview with the Citizen that the purchase should be fair and open.
The Tories, who are leading in public opinion polls, will be going ahead with a purchase -- it's a central part of their platform and will be one of the largest single purchases facing the next government.
But the Conservatives plan to review the purchase, a decision that would appear to reopen the door to competitors to Lockheed Martin's Hercules C130J.
Defence Department officials are already preparing a briefing package for a new minister and plan to argue that the replacement of the military's aging Hercules aircraft fleet should be a top priority for any new government.
The Liberal government announced the project to buy 16 new transport planes shortly before the election was called. The program has already run into controversy over allegations it is rigged to favour the U.S.-built C-130J aircraft.
Preparing a briefing package for a new minister is normal, but defence officials want to ensure the Hercules replacement project proceeds smoothly under either a Liberal or Conservative government.
And the latter prospect appears more likely if the latest public opinion polls are accurate. As a result, the opinions of Tory politicians carry even more weight on issues such as the air fleet purchase.
Mr. O'Connor said a Tory government would examine programs already initiated by the Liberals such as the Hercules replacement.
"Everything will be reviewed," said the former general who wrote the party's defence platform.
"But I want a legitimate competition."
Before the election, Mr. O'Connor alleged in the House of Commons that Defence Minister Bill Graham "fixed the requirements" for the Hercules replacement project to favour the Lockheed C-130J. He noted the budget and the set number of aircraft outlined in the equipment program would stop the giant Boeing C-17 aircraft from being considered.
In addition, Mr. O'Connor said the government's requirement the plane be certified at the time the contract is signed in 2007 would prevent the A400M aircraft, built by a European consortium, from entering the competition. The A400M is not scheduled to be flying until 2008.
But some defence and aerospace officials noted Mr. O'Connor was once a lobbyist for Airbus, the consortium behind the A400M. Others have voiced concerns about the close links between Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier and a lobbyist for Lockheed Martin.
Gen. Hillier has said the Hercules replacement is the Canadian Forces' top equipment priority, and if new planes aren't bought the military won't be able to transport troops overseas or across this country. The department is expected to further outline that case to the incoming government.
Work on the Hercules replacement program is still continuing but the release of information to aerospace firms, outlining what the military is looking for in a plane, has been delayed. That document, known as the statement of interest and qualification, was supposed to be issued in early January.
Defence and Public Works officials now say they don't have a date on when that will be released.
The competition has already sparked intense lobbying behind the scenes. Lockheed Martin had a high-level delegation in Ottawa this past week.
Shortly before Christmas, ambassadors from Germany, Spain, France and Britain visited Public Works Deputy Minister David Marshall and Defence Deputy Minister Ward Elcock to push the case for the A400M.
Martin Sefzig, an official with the consortium building the A400M, said the firm is hoping the government will drop its requirement for the winning aircraft to be certified at the time the contract is signed. Without that change, the A400M would not be able to compete, he noted.
"We engage the air force, we try to engage (Gen. Hillier) also," Mr. Sefzig said. "We'll see if he grants us a chance to see him because we'd like to have the dialog open."
Lockheed Martin official Peter Simmons said the firm has not been told when the statement of interest is to be released.
He said the company is already preparing its bid.
Al DeQuetteville, vice-president of Boeing's Canadian operations, said the company is waiting for the statement of interest before deciding whether it will offer its C-17 aircraft.
But defence analysts note that Conservative leader Stephen Harper has said his government would replace the aging Hercules as well as purchase new long-range transport planes. The long-range aircraft project would clearly fit the C-17's capabilities, analysts say.
