NOT POLITICAL - FOR HISTORICAL & INFORMATION ONLY
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra’s speech at his Fourth of July party in Ottawa included a political nudge aimed at Canada, with American F-35 fighter jets flying over the crowd and a comment about some provinces’ bans on American booze.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/us-ambassador-to-canada-july-4-party-speech-9.7259011
This flyover with both USAF F-35 and RCAF CF-18 aircraft in formation together would not have happened without a formal request from the US ambassador through top channels of the US government resulting in the full and intentional co-operation of the RCAF and possibly the Chief of Defence Staff, as this would have been a political and operational decision. It could be an intentional telegraph of the upcoming decision by the RCAF, an expression of the RCAF’s deeply held wish for the F-35 or an act of throwing a bone to the US ambassador by the RCAF or the government. The ambassador has been seen as more controversial and opinionated than previous ambassadors. If this had been a lower level operational decision (highly unlikely but you never know) by a squadron or base commander, that officer would probably have a very, very short career future.
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/organizational-structure.html
There is certainly precedent. Similar behaviours were exhibited by the RCAF following the cancellation of the Avro Arrow (actually a recommendation of the RCAF six months before the decision was announced as they watched the cost of the Arrow fly into unaffordability - citations if requested). The RCAF kicked the tires of a lot of replacement aircraft. The F-106 was too expensive to operate and required far more operational support and maintenance. The A-4 Skyhawk was loved by the Royal Canadian Navy for their carrier, the HMCS Bonaventure, and liked by the RCAF for versatility and low operational cost. The agreed successor was to be the F11-1F Grumman Super Tiger, of which only two were built.
https://chinalakemuseum.org/f11
The actual purchase from Uncle Sam’s New and Used Aircraft Sales (Only slightly used! Easy payment terms!) was a split buy of the CF-101D/F for nuclear continental air defence (NORAD) and the CF-104 for the nuclear strike/post-strike reconnaissance for NATO in Europe. There were significant aircraft production offsets for the CF/F-104 and CF-101 upgrade/maintenance. It would take a change in Canadian government to permit access to US nuclear weapons for both aircraft (US custody on Canadian and European soil until released on NORAD or NATO command orders).
Also note that at none of the four top air shows this summer (Aero Gatineau, Ottawa region), Abbotsford Air Show (BC), Canadian International Air Show (Toronto, Ontario) and Airshow London - SkyDrive (London, Ontario) have any air or ground appearances by the F-35 been scheduled so far. That could change in a heartbeat with an announcement. The F-22 Raptor demonstration team is flying, but no F-35’s are announced yet. And no Gripens, either. Lots of USAF ground aircraft displays, though.