In a clear allusion to Boeing, Canada said on Tuesday that "any bidder responsible for harm to the country's economic interests will be at a significant disadvantage" if the harm is still being inflicted by the time bids for the 88 jets are being assessed.

Canada said it is scrapping the planned purchase of 18 Boeing Super Hornet jets, after the planemaker initiated a trade challenge this year against Canada's Bombardier Inc. over U.S. sales of its CSeries jet.

(Reporting By Allison Lampert; Editing by Andrew Hay)