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The head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday he expected Canada would announce it was certifying some Gulfstream business jets that had been delayed for years, resolving an issue highlighted by President Donald Trump.
“I think we’ve resolved the issues with Canada,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told reporters on Capitol Hill after a meeting with lawmakers. “My understanding is Transport Canada will announce the Gulfstream certifications that have been delayed for years.”
Bedford said he expected Canada would announce the certifications for the jets produced by the U.S. company later this week.
A spokesperson for Canada’s Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said on Tuesday that regulator Transport Canada “continues to work with Gulfstream and the FAA on certification of their aircraft.”
MacKinnon did not answer questions from reporters about the Gulfstream issue while heading into a cabinet meeting in Ottawa.
General Dynamics-owned Gulfstream did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Last month, Trump said in a social media post that the U.S. was planning to decertify Canadian-made Bombardier Global Express business jets and threatened 50% import tariffs on all aircraft made in Canada until the country’s regulator certified a number of planes produced by U.S. rival Gulfstream.
His declaration came amid broader tensions between the neighboring countries after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, citing U.S. trade policy, urged nations to accept the end of the rules-based global order that Washington had once championed.
Trump also said he was planning to “decertifying their Bombardier Global Expresses, and all Aircraft made in Canada” until the Gulfstream planes were certified.
That threat, if it had been carried out, would have a drastic impact on U.S. carriers like American Airlines and Delta Air Lines which rely on Canadian-made airplanes for many of their regional services.
However, aviation experts have expressed doubts that Trump has the authority to unilaterally decertify Canadian aircraft.
Canadian officials said last month they were working to resolve the aircraft certification dispute with Trump.
Airline officials said if the U.S. could decertify airplanes for economic reasons, it would give other countries a powerful weapon and could put the entire aviation system at risk.
Trump has since highlighted other issues with Canada. On Monday, he threatened to not allow a $4.7 billion bridge between Detroit and Canada from opening unless Canada agreed to trade talks.
—With additional files from Global News
