From Tier 1 to Tier None: Canada’s F-35 Fiasco Was a Political Hit Job Disguised as Procurement "Prudence"
"The fighter of today, tomorrow, and 2075 — just not for Canada if our politicians keep screwing it up."
Once upon a time — back when adults were allowed to make decisions — Canada had a front-row seat at the aerospace table. We were lined up under Harper as a Tier 1 partner in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. That meant jobs, tech transfer, industrial offsets, and priority access — you know, the kind of things that matter if you still believe sovereignty should come with radar and weapons bays.
Then in marched Justin Trudeau, armed with a drama degree and a saviour complex, who torched the whole deal to score political points. The rationale? Canada needed a “more open competition” — which, in practice, meant we went from Tier 1 partner to Tier 3 appendix, watching contracts fly to other nations while we sat at the kids’ table nibbling on legacy parts and waiting our turn.
It wasn’t just economically idiotic. It was strategically suicidal.
Lessons in Losing
Look no further than the Cyclone debacle. Canada replaced the reliable (if ancient) Sea King helicopters with a Sikorsky design that wasn’t even mil-spec when ordered, costing taxpayers $4.8 billion and eventually six lives. It’s a masterclass in what happens when you let politics override engineering. And yet, here we are — considering doing it again with the F-35, as if trial by fireball is the only way Ottawa learns anything.
What We Lost
Let’s break this down like a checklist from DND Procurement for Dummies:
✅ Tier 1 status = Gone
✅ Billions in guaranteed industrial work = Gone
✅ Tech development and future-proofing = Gone
✅ Military credibility = Hanging by a snowshoe
✅ Global supply chain share = Being scarfed up by allies while we think about maybe sending a sternly worded letter
What We Got
❌ A decade of procurement paralysis
❌ A slapdash plan to “reconsider” the jets we already committed to
❌ A shrinking RCAF with aging CF-18s now held together by duct tape, nostalgia, and the ghost of Billy Bishop
But Don’t Worry — There’s More!
Now, under Prime Minister Carney, the review is back. Because why wouldn’t a guy whose biggest battles have been with inflation and bond markets be the final word on fifth-gen fighter jets?
Here’s the reality: the F-35 isn’t just a plane. It’s a digital ecosystem. The longer we delay or hedge, the deeper we dig our own defence grave. Interoperability isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the difference between fighting with our allies and hoping they’ll show up when the wolves come through the wire.
And if history tells us anything, Canada’s defence policy can be summed up in four words: Hope. Delay. Apologize. Reboot.
Final Thought:
Trudeau’s original F-35 cancellation wasn’t principled — it was political cowardice dressed as fiscal prudence. It cost us billions, our seat at the table, and nearly our helicopter fleet. If Carney or any other leader flirts with repeating that mistake, they won’t just be ignoring history — they’ll be spitting on it from 35,000 feet. Probably in a Gripen, hoping it doesn’t need spare parts.