Canadian military loses high quality Grohmann Knives to a competitor selling "Made in China" knock offs

NEW GLASGOW – Elizabeth May, leader of the federal Green Party, today asked Defence Minster Peter MacKay for an explanation as to why the Defence Department dropped Pictou Country supplier Grohmann Knives in favour of a company supplying knives made in China. The Number 3 knife was a standard order on a year to year contract for decades. It is used by paratroopers and must be top quality for their safety in escaping the parachute harness.

"When owner Mr. Babinec told me that the military had stopped purchasing Grohmann Knives and replaced them with knives made in China, I was simply shocked. The reputation of Grohmann Knives for high quality, durability and reliability is exceptional and unquestioned. My next thought was what kind of other shoddy non-Canadian goods are being purchased for our soldiers in cost-cutting measures?" said Elizabeth May.

The Grohmann Knives company has been manufacturing high-quality knives in Pictou County for over fifty years. The company met with Defence Minister Peter MacKay to discuss the matter in June, when he toured the factory with General Rick Hillier. They are still awaiting an answer.

"We must not cut corners on the quality of equipment required by our troops. Ideally, our military should choose Canadian-made goods. Public Works Minister Christian Paradis suggested recently that if Canadian built vessels for the Navy and Coast Guard were too expensive, he would buy them elsewhere, threatening thousands of Atlantic jobs. Meanwhile, the submarine contract for retrofits went to British Columbia -- a decision entailing higher costs. The only common denominator from the Harper government is that contracts do not come to Atlantic Canada," said Ms. May.