A row of unfinished Bombardier Global Express aircraft at a Bombardier plant in Montreal in 2020. President Donald Trump says the U.S. is decertifying Canada’s Bombardier Global Express and all aircraft made in Canada until Gulfstream is certified in Canada.Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press
U.S. President Donald Trump issued more trade threats against Canada on Thursday, declaring on social media he is “decertifying” all Canadian-made aircraft and threatening to levy a 50-per-cent tariff on any Canadian planes sold in the United States.
Mr. Trump said he was taking the actions because the Canadian government has “illegally, and steadfastly refused to certify” Gulfstream jets, which are made in Savannah, Ga., by General Dynamics Corp.
“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,” he wrote.
“If, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected, I am going to charge Canada a 50 per cent tariff on any and all aircraft sold into the United States of America,” Mr. Trump wrote.
John Gradek, who teaches aviation leadership at McGill University, called Mr. Trump’s description of the matter nonsense.
Gulfstream has changed the electronics and navigation system of some of its models to extend their flying range and payload, and the Canadian aviation regulator is reviewing the changes, he said.
“We haven’t decertified the Gulfstream; we are looking at the paperwork,” Mr. Gradek said. “That’s what’s taking time now.”
Gulfstreams are allowed to fly in Canada, and there are 21 listed in the government’s civil aviation database.
E-mails to Transport Canada, Bombardier Inc. and a spokesperson for Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu were not immediately returned on Thursday night.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly made threats to place tariffs – paid by U.S. importers – on Canadian goods.
He last week threatened 100-per-cent tariffs on Canadian goods if Canada signed a “deal” with China. It was not clear whether he was referring to a hypothetical comprehensive free-trade deal, or if he was referring to a more limited deal reached earlier this month to allow some Chinese electric vehicles to be imported into Canada in exchange for tariff relief on Canadian exports of canola and other food products.
Mr. Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s relationship has become increasingly icy. In a speech last week at Davos, Switzerland, Mr. Carney said the world order is in a rupture, and that “American hegemony” no longer functions. Mr. Trump responded by saying, “Canada lives because of the United States.”