Canada’s F‑35 Crossroads: Quebec Maintenance Hub, Leaked Scorecard and a Last‑Minute Gripen Push
Canada’s long‑running fighter jet saga has erupted into a full‑blown political and industrial showdown as of December 8, 2025. A leaked Department of National Defence (DND) scoring chart strongly favoring the U.S.‑made F‑35, an aggressive push to turn Mirabel, Quebec into a major F‑35 maintenance hub, and a fresh wave of opinion pieces and lobbying on both sides of the F‑35–vs–Gripen debate are all converging just as Prime Minister Mark Carney edges toward a decision on the country’s next‑generation fighter fleet. SSBCrack News+3National Security Journal+3WLS 890 AM+3 At stake: Canada’s air defence for the next 40 years, tens of thousands