“Oh no, not again,” and then, “Oh my god, not more American politics.” Well yes and no. Because while this story passes through the United States, it’s actually a Canadian story. And it’s about airplanes. Not just any airplanes, but our military jet fighters.
So where do I start?
For decades, Canada has been circling the same procurement debate like an aircraft in a holding pattern. First the Harper Conservatives committed to the F-35. Then the Trudeau Liberals backed off, re-evaluated, circled back, endorsed it, and ordered jets. And now the Carney Liberal government is taking a deep breath and asking the question a lot of Canadians are quietly asking: did we get this right?
I’m not ready to answer that yet. But here’s where I come from a very different place.
Trying to explain this without sounding dramatic is impossible, so I won’t try. The first time I ever saw an F-35 do a dirty flyby, I got chills. Real chills. That sound, that vibration, that pressure wave that rolls right through the ground and up your legs. I don’t hide from it. I run toward it. It’s who I am. Aviation is in my bones, in my family, in my upbringing.
And it’s personal because my military son, flying since 14 has long had his eye on the F-35 as his dream aircraft. His north star. And Canada has already spent billions on the program. So yes, I watch this file very closely. But then came November 6th of last year, when the United States effectively stopped being a reliable ally.
There is concern that the President of the United States could control the jets we’ve already bought. He has said openly that he could withhold parts or restrict operations. And he said it like a man who means it.
Then layer on the company he keeps, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a man whose human rights and women’s rights record is a void. A black hole. A regime with zero alignment to our values. Yet somehow, in this new geopolitical landscape, MBS has become a more valuable client to the United States than Canada who is a NATO partner, a NORAD partner, and a country that has stood with them for generations. They are now a preferred customer for the F-35. That should make every Canadian stop and think.
Because if your military fleet depends on the political mood swings of a country that now prioritizes autocrats over allies, then your sovereignty is not secure. Your sky is not your own.
Which brings us to a surprising new chapter: Sweden. With the entire Swedish royal family arriving on Canadian soil, their first visit in twenty years and Saab offering 10,000 Canadian manufacturing jobs, a partnership with Bombardier, and the potential to build the Gripen here in Canada, you’d have to be asleep not to see what’s happening.
This isn’t just diplomacy, but rather a full-throttle bid for partnership.
And honestly? The Gripen is sounding pretty damn appealing.
No, it doesn’t come with the F-35’s Hollywood reputation. But it does come with something Canada desperately needs: sovereignty and stability. A platform we can maintain, build, and supply ourselves. A jet backed by a country that actually respects human rights, actually respects allies, and doesn’t use military hardware as a political bargaining chip.
Now, I don’t know exactly what this means for our existing F-35 commitments. We’ve already sunk billions into that program. That matters. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our obligations to NORAD, our commitments to NATO, and Canada’s own strategic future all make this an increasingly urgent conversation.
This isn’t just about jets. This is about independence. It’s about whether Canada is prepared to make decisions without being boxed in by someone else’s politics. It’s about whether we are finally ready to secure our own sky.
Now let me take this somewhere human for a moment and go back to airplanes. Below this, you’ll see a picture of me on an F-18 the very aircraft we now need to replace. I don’t have a picture with an F-35 (yet), or a Gripen (yet), but trust me: once Canada picks our next bird, I’ll happily update the photo. Call it an aviation love story in installments.
And so I end where I began… Have I ever told you how incredible it is to stand beside a fighter jet and feel the heat from the burners? To feel the vibration in the ground when it does a high-speed pass?… I should assure you that ultimately, that’s my happy place.
So stay tuned, Canada. This is one of those rare moments when a country redefines its sovereignty, its strength, and its ability to chart its own course. And yes, we will honor our NATO commitments. But we also have the freedom, the responsibility, and the opportunity to choose what truly serves our future.
Let’s get this right. Our skies, our security and our independence depend on it.
No more taxiing behind anyone. Canada’s ready for its own runway.
Nancy's Notes 