 Canada cools on Boeing jets, as Trudeau meets Trump Ottawa (AFP) Oct 11, 2017 - Canada now plans to buy a package of used fighter jets instead of new Boeing planes, raising the stakes in a trade spat ahead of talks Wednesday between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump. The Canadian leader's administration is negotiating with Australia to buy used F-18 fighter jets and parts to partially replace its aging fleet. In the meantime, Ottawa has suspended talks with US aerospace Boeing on its first option to buy 18 new Super Hornet fighter jets, pending a full renewal of the fleet through a competitive bidding process slated for 2019. "Canada expects to receive a response by the end of this year that will provide details regarding the availability and cost of the aircraft and associated parts that Canada is considering," Canada's procurement agency said in a statement "Separate discussions with Boeing related to the interim purchase of Super Hornet aircraft remain suspended." Trudeau's office said the prime minister would "explore all options moving forward" during his talks with Trump. Boeing has leveled anti-dumping accusations at major Canadian manufacturer Bombardier, which provoked steep countervailing US duties on its new CSeries jetliners. The Canadian government and Bombardier accused Boeing of manipulating the US trade remedy system to try to prevent a new competitor from selling in the key US aviation market. The CSeries is the first new design in the 100- to 150-seat category in more than 25 years, and US-based Delta Airlines has ordered 75 of them. As Trudeau and Trump discuss this trade dispute and another over softwood lumber, Canadian, Mexican and US negotiators were to meet in a Washington suburb for a fourth round of trade talks.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday warned US President Donald Trump that Canada would not make military buys from Boeing while the United States was targeting Canada's Bombardier with heavy import duties.
The US aerospace firm, claiming its competitor received unfair state subsidies, successfully petitioned the Trump administration to impose financial penalties on Bombardier to keep it from selling its CSeries planes in the massive US market.
In turn, Canada has voiced interest officially in some Australian military aircraft and called off discussions with Boeing on a possible purchase of 18 new Super Hornets. It intends to renew its fighter jets soon, seeking offers in 2019.
Trudeau, on a visit to Washington, said he discussed the issue directly with the US president.
"I highlighted to the president how we disagreed, vehemently, with Commerce's decision to bring in countervailing and anti-dumping duties against Bombardier," Trudeau told reporters.
Further, "attempts by Boeing to put tens of thousands of aerospace workers out of work across Canada is not something we look on positively. And I certainly mentioned that this was a block to us purchasing any -- making any military procurements from Boeing."
Trump said he understood the significance of the issue, Trudeau said, noting it hadn't been easy to have the discussion but was important to have.
The US administration slapped a 220 percent countervailing duty on Bombardier CS100 and CS300 aircraft imported into the United States.
Boeing accuses Bombardier of manufacturing its 100-150 seat planes with public subsidies and selling them at a loss to Delta Air Lines.
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