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Ontario ministers defend secret payout to Elon Musk's SpaceX over nixed Starlink deal
Ministers say the undisclosed payout was commercially sensitive and less than the contract value for service to 15,000 remote and rural customers.
- Ontario ministers defended keeping the payout to Elon Musk's SpaceX secret following cancellation of a Starlink broadband deal, claiming disclosure would compromise the province's competitive advantage.
- Premier Doug Ford canceled the $100-million satellite deal last year after Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency, ending plans to deliver Starlink internet to 15,000 customers in remote First Nations and rural Ontario.
- Public accounts released last week omitted the SpaceX payout, prompting criticism from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation as Ontario director Noah Jarvis questioned why the government refuses disclosure, stating "Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent."
- New Democrat Jessica Bell challenged the government on Tuesday at an estimates committee hearing, demanding cost transparency, though Red Tape Reduction Minister Andrea Khanjin refused to answer and redirected focus to combatting global tariff wars.
- Mines Minister Stephen Lecce stated the government now seeks a domestic, sovereign satellite technology provider, defending the previous negotiation's confidentiality as "commercially sensitive" and requiring respect for the original agreement.
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Ontario ministers defend secret payout to Elon Musk's SpaceX over nixed Starlink deal
Ontario ministers defended keeping secret the province's payout to Elon Musk's SpaceX over a cancelled Starlink contract, as critics accused the government of obfuscation during the recent release of its latest financial statements.
·Ottawa, Canada
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Loonie Politics
Loonie PoliticsOntario ministers defend secret payout to Elon Musk’s SpaceX over nixed Starlink deal
TORONTO - Ontario ministers defended keeping secret the province's payout to Elon Musk's SpaceX over a cancelled Starlink contract, as critics accused the government of obfuscation during the recent release of its latest financial statements.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left11Leaning Right0Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution85% Left
Bias Distribution
- 85% of the sources lean Left
85% Left
L 85%
15%
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