Joly: Visits to Saab, Lockheed ‘normal’ part of her job amid F-35 review
By Canadian Press on August 20, 2025.
OTTAWA — Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says Canadians shouldn’t read too much into her visit to a Swedish defence manufacturer that comes right in the middle of a major government review of the F-35 fighter jet procurement.
Joly says she visited Saab’s facilities in Sweden this week and was shown the Gripen-E jet, which is one of the possible contenders to replace the controversial U.S.-made F-35 fighter jet.
Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered the review shortly after he became prime minister in March, as Canada sought tighter security and defence ties with Europe in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war.
The review is to be completed by the end of the summer and Joly says her role in it is to ensure the Canadian government understands all its options and what the industrial benefits to Canada would be in its final decision.
Joly says this is a “normal” part of her job, and that she will also be meeting with Lockheed Martin, which makes the F-35, in the coming weeks.
Joly is wrapping up a trip to Sweden and Finland with Secretary of State for Defence Stephen Fuhr, which was focused on strengthening defence-industrial ties in Europe.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2025.
Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press
11-10
Sixth generation fighters are already underway and we need a 5th generation fighter in a world that is a powder keg ready to explode. Canadians have invested hundreds of millions into this project already and cancelling the orders for a substandard aircraft that will not meet the future needs of our military would be like buying more subs that rarely have been operational, none of which were operational at the same time ever, and only a couple were fully operational at times . . . junk!
And then there is the Liberal helicopler purchase fiascal! Again, we ended up with junk because they refiitted an aircraft which was supposed to be for commercial purposes and made it a military aircraft, which cost us as much as if we had bought the Blackhawk when you add up all of the costs and breakdowns.
We need aircraft now, not 10 years from now! As it is we are not due to receive the first CF-35’s until 2028 in Canada.
We need aircraft that meets the needs of protecting our country, and that means anything which is not at least 5th generation, will be a mistake and waste. Our sovereignty is already under threat and not just from the US!