Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty told the outlet that no final decision has been made. Ivison links the procurement debate to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent Davos remarks on strategic autonomy and diversification. A long and contentious procurement historyThe current debate is the latest twist in Canada’s long-running fighter replacement saga. Ottawa then launched the Future Fighter Capability Project in 2017 as an open competition, but Dassault withdrew in 2018 over Five Eyes-related constraints. Canada ultimately selected the F-35 again in 2022, citing NORAD interoperability, NATO commitments, and Arctic defense requirements, and announced a plan to acquire 88 aircraft valued at roughly $14 billion.