Canada Denies It Decided to Scrap Plan to Buy F-35s

A Canadian government spokesman is denying reports that the country has decided to scrap its plans to purchase Lockheed Martin (LMT) Corp.’s F-35 fighter jets.

“Cabinet has not taken a decision on the F-35,” Andrew MacDougall, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, posted on the Twitter social network site.

MacDougall was referring to a report in the National Post newspaper that said the government would cancel the purchase of 65 of the planes because an audit by accounting firm KPMG LLP will show the cost of the plane to be more than twice as much as had been projected.

The government has received the KPMG report and is reviewing it, according to a statement sent by the office of Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose late last night. The government will give a “comprehensive public update” before the House of Commons breaks for Christmas, Ambrose’s office said in a statement. The legislature is scheduled to adjourn on Dec. 14.

To contact the reporter on this story: Theophilos Argitis in Ottawa at targitis@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chris Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net