The Liberal government is expected to announce today it will enter into final negotiations on purchasing the F-35 fighter jet. Government and industry sources have told The Canadian Press the negotiations with manufacturer Lockheed Martin will be announced at a news conference this afternoon. The sources spoke on condition they not be named because they were not authorized to comment publicly. While this doesn’t mean a deal to purchase the stealth fighter is officially done, it does mean Canada is on the verge of finally choosing a replacement for its aging CF-18s. Should negotiations fall through, the government retains the option to enter into talks with Saab, whose Gripen fighter came second to the F-35 in the competition. Canada is planning to buy 88 new fighter jets to replace its CF-18s, with the government having budgeted up to $19 billion for the purchase. Government officials told a parliamentary committee last …