Canada Issues Full Certificates for New Gulfstream Models Following Trump Pressure

Canada's Transport Canada agency issued full type certificates on Monday for all the latest models of business jets produced by the American company Gulfstream Aerospace. The decision covered the flagship and most advanced designs – the G700 and G800 models, also designated as GVIII-700 and GVIII-800, as well as the previously approved G500 model. Without these type certificates, the aircraft could not be registered or operate in Canadian airspace, effectively blocking their sale to the wealthy Canadian corporate market. As reported by Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg, the regulator's decision constitutes a direct response to strong political pressure from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. G700 i G800 — Approved jet models President Trump had publicly accused the Canadian government in recent weeks of deliberately prolonging certification procedures, which he claimed constituted unfair trade practice harming the American manufacturer. He threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs on Canadian goods in response. „The Canadians have been deliberately slow-rolling approval of our great Gulfstream jets. If this doesn't change, we will look at all options, including tariffs.” — Donald Trump This statement turned the matter into an urgent diplomatic problem and forced the government in Ottawa to react immediately to prevent a potential trade war. The swift issuance of certificates – just weeks after the threats – was clearly interpreted as a political decision to defuse the dispute. The economic relations between the United States and Canada, governed since 2020 by the USMCA (United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement), constitute the world's largest bilateral trade partnership. Despite deep integration, certain sectors such as steel, beef, dairy products, and the aviation industry are regularly sources of tension. Disputes are often resolved through the complex arbitration mechanisms provided for in the agreement, which can take months. Certification is of key operational and commercial importance. For Gulfstream and its owner, the powerful conglomerate General Dynamics, it opens full access to the wealthy Canadian market, home to many mining, energy, and financial giants. According to industry analysts, Canada is one of the world's most important sales markets for large business jets. Both new models, the G700 and G800, are among the largest and most luxurious in the manufacturer's lineup, with a range allowing for direct transoceanic connections and prices exceeding $70 million per unit. Timeline of the Certification Dispute: early 2025 — Start of Procedures; January 2026 — Pressure from Trump Administration; February 10, 2026 — Trump's Public Threats; February 24, 2026 — Issuance of Certificates It is unclear at what stage the certification procedures actually were before the White House's intervention. Canadian sources, cited by the media, maintained that the process was proceeding normally, in accordance with standard, rigorous safety procedures. The American side, however, portrayed it as deliberately slowed down. The speed with which Ottawa made the decision after the public threats suggests, however, that the political factor proved decisive. International trade experts point out that this was a classic example of resolving a dispute outside the formal, multi-month arbitration pathways provided for in the USMCA agreement, in favor of direct political pressure.