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Parliamentarians will return to House of Commons on Monday ready to do battle over whether Canadians were misled when it came to the troubled F-35 stealth fighter program. Here’s what you need to know to follow the debate.

What is the F-35?

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is a single-engine, single-seat jet developed and produced by Texas-based defence giant Lockheed Martin. The U.S. Defence Department is overseeing the project and there are nine partner nations, including Canada.

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The F-35 is envisioned as a jack-of-all-trades aircraft that will be able to attack ground targets and engage in air-to-air combat. There are three versions, the main difference being how much runway is needed to take off and land. Canada is planning to purchase only the standard variant, which requires a normal-length runway.

Why did Canada become involved?

Jean Chretien’s Liberal government recognized in 1997 that Canada’s CF-18 fighter jets were approaching the end of their lives. By signing on to the U.S.-led project then and agreeing to continue participating in 2002, it ensured Canada would be able to influence the design while making Canadian companies eligible for contracts. Auditor-General Michael Ferguson’s report said that “securing industrial benefits for Canadian companies continued to be a driving motivation for participation” in 2002.