Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose has appointed an Ontario businessman to help improve Canada's oftentroubled defence-procurement process. Tom Jenkins will be a special adviser and will work with defence contractors to boost competitiveness. Jenkins is chairman and chief strategy officer of OpenText Corp., of Waterloo, Ont. He was chairman of an expert review panel which looked at federal support for research and development and made recommendations for the government's 2012 economic plan. Jenkins will look at ways to streamline procurement and increase job opportunities in defence-related industries. The military procurement process has long been a source of complaints, with some projects delayed for years and others hit by cost overruns.
