Bombardier warns of ‘significant impact’ to travellers from Trump’s threat
Transport Minister Steve MacKinnon also addressed the matter in a social media post on Friday afternoon, saying he has spoken with Bombardier’s CEO and had a call with senior leadership at General Dynamics, the parent company of Gulfstream.
“We will remain in close contact. Transport Canada officials are in communication with their U.S. counterparts, and our government is actively working on this situation,” MacKinnon said.
“Canada’s aviation industry is safe and reliable. We will stand behind it.”
It comes after Trump said Thursday night that he will slap a 50 per cent tariff on all aircraft sold into the United States from Canada unless the country “immediately” certifies business jets made by American company Gulfstream.
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Bombardier said the move could have an impact on air traffic.
“We have taken note of the post from the President of the United States to social media and are in contact with the Canadian government,” Bombardier said in a statement.
“Thousands of private and civilian jets built in Canada fly in the U.S. every day. We hope this is quickly resolved to avoid a significant impact to air traffic and the flying public,” the statement said.
“Our aircraft, facilities and technicians are fully certified to FAA standards and renowned around the world.”
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet called on the Trump administration to “abandon its threats” and “obtain complete information from its agencies, their Canadian counterparts and Bombardier.”
“This threat jeopardises economic stability and the air transport network of the entire continent on false grounds and potentially its safety,” he said.
Trump’s Truth Social post did not contain specific details of his threats.
“Based on the fact that Canada has wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly refused to certify the Gulfstream 500, 600, 700, and 800 Jets, one of the greatest, most technologically advanced airplanes ever made, we are hereby decertifying their Bombardier Global Expresses, and all Aircraft made in Canada, until such time as Gulfstream, a Great American Company, is fully certified, as it should have been many years ago,” Trump wrote.
“Further, Canada is effectively prohibiting the sale of Gulfstream products in Canada through this very same certification process. If, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected, I am going to charge Canada a 50% Tariff on any and all Aircraft sold into the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
However, a White House official told Global News on background that the threat applies only to new planes and not the ones already in operation.
Trump’s claim that Canada has “illegally” refused to certify the Gulfstream jets is false, said McGill University aviation expert John Gradek.
In fact, he said the model 500 and model 600 are already approved for use in Canada, while the model 700 and model 800 are newer jets and may take some time to get approved.
“It’s not illegal for Canada to look at certifying these airplanes on its own merit. It’s just not that we don’t trust the FAA, that certifies these airplanes. We just want to make sure that Transport Canada has enough time to make sure that these airplanes are safe to operate and carry Canadian passengers,” Gradek said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney did not respond to questions about the threat on Thursday evening.
Industry voices are warning against “politicizing” the aircraft certification process.
“Politicizing aircraft certification would set a dangerous global precedent, undermining international safety standards and putting the integrity of the aviation system at risk,” the IAM Union, previously known as the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said in a statement.
Bombardier also said thousands of U.S. jobs are on the line, adding that it “employs more than 3,000 people in the U.S. across 9 major facilities, and creates thousands of U.S. jobs through 2,800 suppliers.”
The company said it is “actively investing” in expanding its U.S. operations, including a recent announcement in Fort Wayne, Ind.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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