Canada is reviewing its multi billion dollar contract for the purchase of F 35 fighter jets due to worsening relations with the United States. Prime Minister Mark Carney has instructed Defence Minister Bill Blair to assess whether the deal remains in the country’s best interest as geopolitical tensions continue to shift. The contract, originally signed under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, commits Canada to buying 88 F 35s, with the first 16 already legally bound for procurement. However, the government is now exploring whether amendments or alternatives are possible.
The situation is further complicated by growing hostility between Ottawa and Washington. US President Donald Trump has imposed new trade barriers on Canada and even suggested economic pressure to integrate the country as the 51st state, a remark that has provoked widespread outrage among Canadians. The American national anthem has been booed at NHL and NBA games, and a rising number of Canadians are boycotting US made goods in response to Trump’s aggressive policies.
Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F 35, has stated that it maintains a strong relationship with the Royal Canadian Air Force but declined to comment on the government’s potential review of the contract. The company emphasised that the matter is strictly between the Canadian and US governments.
Canada’s decision to purchase the F 35 was finalised in 2023 after an extensive evaluation process. The government rejected competing bids from Boeing’s Super Hornet and Sweden’s Saab Gripen. Saab had proposed assembling and maintaining the aircraft within Canada, a plan that could have created local jobs, but Ottawa ultimately selected Lockheed Martin to modernise its air force. Now, amid political and economic tensions, Canada is reconsidering its commitment to the deal.
