Scrums Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn and Laurie Hawn, parliamentary secretary to the defence minister, continued to defend the Conservative government’s plan to purchase 65 F-35 fighter jets. Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page released a report this week on the cost to buy and maintain the jets. Page’s calculation is close to $30 billion, which is almost double the government’s estimates of $16 to $18 billion. Liberal House leader David McGuinty and NDP MP Pat Martin commented on Senator Raymond Lavigne’s fraud and breach of trust convictions. The former Liberal MP was appointed to the Senate in 2002 and was expelled from the Liberal caucus in 2006.McGuinty, Martin, Bloc Québécois House leader Pierre Paquette, and NDP MP Paul Dewar were asked about the government’s chances of survival before the March 22nd federal budget and about next week’s meetings of the House of Commons committee on procedure and House affairs, which will be discussing House Speaker Peter Milliken’s rulings on disclosure of financial documents and the Bev Oda matter.