Federal procurement officials won’t say when Canada will take the next step in the years-long process of selecting a new fighter jet. The federal government announced in December that it had narrowed its search for a replacement of the military’s aging CF-18s to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and the Swedish Saab Gripen. The government said at that time a decision would be made in short order on whether the government would engage in another round of negotiations with the two companies, or select a winner outright. Yet nearly four months later, no announcement has been forthcoming, leading to concerns about even further delays in replacing Canada’s CF-18s at a time when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underscored the importance of modern military capabilities. Public Services and Procurement Canada assistant deputy minister Simon Page said Tuesday the process is “very active, very live” as he was grilled by a parliamentary committee over …