CTV Question Period with Vassy Kapelos Podcast · CTV News

CTV QP Podcast #509: Questions remain as Canada eyes possible fighter jets

November 23, 2025·47 min·25 clips

Question Period starts with the trade file. The U.S. ambassador says talks are still on pause. Canada is looking elsewhere for momentum, including the United Arab Emirates and the G20 in South Africa, while still trying to get the conversation with Washington restarted. International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu is brought in to explain the effort, and Ontario’s trade representative in Washington, David Patterson, is also part of the discussion. The episode keeps pressing on what diversification can realistically deliver. The program then shifts to Parliament. The federal Liberals survive a big confidence vote, but the margin is razor thin, with the Prime Minister relying on opposition abstentions to push the budget through. The host asks what that says about the power dynamics at play in the House. From there, the conversation turns to fighter jets. Canada appears to be warming to a Nordic pitch as relations with the United States remain frigid. Sweden is on a charm offensive, with the Swedish royal family leading a trade delegation to Ottawa this past week. The episode asks whether Canada is seriously considering the Swedish jets. It also circles back to what Canada says it did not get from the F-35 process. That makes the procurement question about industrial benefits and strategic judgment as much as aircraft. The show then looks ahead to next week. On Thursday, the NDP leadership debate is set, and a new leader will be picked early in the spring next year. On Friday, fresh GDP data arrives for the third quarter. That figure lands against the backdrop of a 1.6 percent contraction in the second quarter. The episode also watches for movement on the Alberta federal deal. B.C. is unhappy about it. The closing stretch leaves the sense that trade, defence, and economic pressure are still moving together.

As heard by us

A tight political roundup of stalled trade talks, minority math, and a fighter-jet pitch.

This Question Period episode pulls stalled U.S. trade talks, the effort to open markets in the United Arab Emirates and at the G20 in South Africa, a narrow Liberal confidence vote, and Sweden's fighter-jet pitch into one accountability hour.

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Why you'd press play

For when stalled U.S. trade talks, a razor-thin budget win, and Sweden's jet pitch all need context.

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