BOEING TALKS ‘SUSPENDED,’

Canada is no longer talking to Boeing about purchasing 18 Super Hornets to replace some of its aging CF-18 jet fighters — at least for now.

But a day after Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan suggested Boeing could no longer be considered a trusted partner, the government appeared to be playing coy about what its exact intentions were.

On Thursday, Steve MacKinnon, the parliamentary secretary for Procurement Minister Judy Foote, said the government had “suspended” talks with Boeing about its plan to purchase 18 Super Hornets.

Reuters reported that MacKinnon said Boeing “is not acting like a valued partner right now so we’ve suspended discussions with that partner.”

Minutes later, Foote spokeswoman Annie Trepanier said that while government ministers were not talking to the company, “there is no formal suspension.” MacKinnon was simply using the word “suspension” as “an expression,” said a spokesperson in Foote’s office.

The government said it was also not talking to other companies about replacing the CF-18. It also said it is disappointed that Boeing has petitioned the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission to investigate subsidies for Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft that it says have allowed the Canadian company to export planes at well below cost.

Earlier Thursday, Boeing postponed an announcement that was to be made about the jets at an Ottawa defence show.

“Due to the current climate, today is not the most opportune time to share this good news story,” Boeing noted in a statement.

But it added, “Boeing’s commitment to Canada has been, and remains, unwavering.”

On Wednesday, Sajjan slammed Boeing in a speech to defence industry representatives at the show because of the investigations into Bombardier.

“It is not the behaviour of a trusted partner,” Sajjan told industry representatives Wednesday at the CANSEC defence trade show in Ottawa. He called on Boeing to withdraw its complaint.

Although Sajjan stopped short of cancelling the Liberal government’s plan to purchase the Super Hornet fighters from Boeing, Sajjan said the U.S. firm has damaged its relationship with Canada.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland also recently chastened Boeing for its actions. But Sajjan’s dressing down of the company in such a high profile forum is considered by industry representatives as unprecedented. The Liberals are now reviewing the Super Hornet jet proposal and whether it should continue.

The Super Hornet purchase, if it proceeds, is expected to cost $5 billion to $7 billion.

Canada has not yet signed the deal to acquire the Super Hornets. That was expected to be in place by the end of the year or early next year.

Other aerospace firms are in the wings ready to offer Canada new aircraft, including Lockheed Martin with its F-35 fighter jet.