Trump's trade war pauses Canadian helicopter deal
asserted
war → pause → deal
Ottawa halted plans to buy 16 U.S.-made helicopters ahead of trade talks: sources
The Liberal government quietly ordered a pause on a modest, but important purchase of 16 U.S.-made UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters just before trade negotiations began last summer with the Trump administration, CBC News and Radio-Canada have learned.
asserted
News → halt → administration
The aircraft, which are intended for use by Canada's special forces, are manufactured by Sikorsky, a subsidiary of the U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin.
asserted
which → intend → giant
The decision to suspend the acquisition is linked to trade and diplomatic tensions with the Trump administration, according to several sources within the government and defence industry.
uncertain
decision → suspend → government
The purchase had been signed off by the U.S. State Department agency that handles foreign military sales and was headed for congressional approval when the halt was ordered before trade negotiators met in Washington, according to two confidential sources.
What tariffs are still in place?
uncertain
tariffs → sign → place
Tracking the Canada-U.S. trade war
- Front Burner
Should Canada have taken the U.S. deal?
asserted
Canada → track → deal
The decision, the sources said, was partially related to the trade talks, which ultimately failed.
asserted
which → say → talks
It was also part of a wider effort by federal officials to inventory what the Canadian military planned to purchase from the United States.
asserted
military → inventory → States
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned Canadian sovereignty since being re-elected.
asserted
Trump → question → sovereignty
He has also launched a major trade war with Canada, imposing tariffs on key sectors such as steel, aluminum and automotive manufacturing.
asserted
He → launch → steel
As Canada seeks to reduce its military reliance on the United States, the government decided that the timing was not right to purchase American helicopters without a competitive bidding process, several sources said.
asserted
sources → seek → process
CBC News is not identifying the sources because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
asserted
they → identify → sources
Since being elected in the spring of 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney has made it a priority to boost domestic defence industrial production, establish partnerships with foreign firms operating in Canada and — only as a last resort — purchase directly from abroad.
asserted
it → elect → resort
The pause on the Black Hawk purchase comes as the Carney government continues to review whether it will purchase a full order of F-35 stealth fighters, which are also manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
asserted
which → come → Martin
The government ordered a review of that plan in the late winter of 2025 and has yet to decide whether it will buy all 88 fighters as originally planned.
asserted
it → order → fighters
Canada has committed to buy 16 F-35s, but has also ordered the parts for more than a dozen others.
asserted
Canada → commit → others
Government 'continues to evaluate options'
asserted
Government → continue → options
Whenever Canada — or other countries — buy U.S. military gear, the purchaser is required to request permission through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
asserted
purchaser → buy → program
Once reviewed by officials, the deal is sent to American lawmakers who have 15 days to object before it becomes official.
asserted
it → review → days
A spokesperson for the agency overseeing Canada's military procurement suggested options other than the Black Hawks could be considered.
uncertain
options → oversee → Hawks
"The government of Canada continues to evaluate options to meet the needs of the special operations forces," said Sofiya Sapeha, spokesperson for Stephen Fuhr, the parliamentary secretary responsible for military procurement.
asserted
Sapeha → continue → procurement
"Canada remains in contact with the relevant partners and continues to review all information necessary for decision-making."
A Black Hawk helicopter is seen on display in Kielce, Poland, last month.
asserted
helicopter → remain → Kielce
A defence expert tells CBC News that the U.S.-made helicopter is well suited for Arctic operations.
asserted
helicopter → tell → operations
The Black Hawks are intended to replace the special forces' use of the CH-146 Griffon, which is more than three decades old and significantly inferior in terms of military operations.
asserted
which → intend → operations
The UH-60 has a typical combat radius of about 595 kilometres, which can be extended by air-to-air refuelling.
asserted
which → have → refuelling
In that case, its range goes out to 2,250 kilometres.
asserted
range → go → kilometres
The Griffon's normal combat range is up to 656 kilometres, but can be fitted with external fuel tanks that take it up to 909 kilometres.
asserted
that → fit → kilometres
Special forces have been using the Griffon since their inception as a separate unit within the Canadian military in the early 1990s.
asserted
forces → use → 1990s
The helicopter is currently flown by 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron.
asserted
helicopter → fly → Squadron
Retired major-general Denis Thompson, who commanded special operations troops, said the difference between the two helicopters is stark.
asserted
difference → command → helicopters
Harper says Canada had 'no choice' but to walk away from trade talks
Trump's top trade rep says U.S. 'comfortable' with state of relationship
asserted
U.S. → say → relationship
"In some ways you're comparing apples and oranges because a Griffon is a small, agile helicopter better suited for temperate climates and frankly better suited for urban operations than something as large as a Black Hawk," Thompson said.
asserted
Thompson → compare → Hawk
"Range is important and the fact that it's a military design, a helicopter designed expressly for the military, means that it is just more robust and it can stand up to more punishment than the Griffon."
asserted
it → design → Griffon
Thompson questioned the political calculus, but said he understands the way Canadians feel about the Trump administration.
asserted
Canadians → question → administration
"When we buy a piece of equipment, we're not hanging on to it for the two years that are left in Mr. Trump's mandate," Thompson said.
asserted
Thompson → buy → mandate
"We're hanging on to them for 20, 30 years.
asserted
We → hang → years
And so what's important is to make sure that we buy the equipment that Canadian Armed Forces need and that we look to the long-term and not short-term political gain."
Low public support for buying American
Earlier this year, Policy Magazine published the results of a poll that indicated that 62 per cent of Canadians disagree with purchasing military equipment from the United States.
asserted
cent → make → States
Similarly, Abacus Data found that 64 per cent support an immediate halt to U.S. military purchases.
asserted
cent → find → purchases
"I know it's difficult to explain that to the public, but that's what needs to be done," said Thompson.
asserted
Thompson → know → public
He said equipment like the Black Hawk and F-35 weren't selected "for political reasons, at least not from the military standpoint.
asserted
equipment → say → standpoint
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
