The RCAF's Next Generation Fighter (CF-188 Replacement)

[Maxman1]

Gripen allows us a cheaper day to day operations aircraft that can still hold its own against the majority of our potential enemies.

It's not cheaper. This has been proven several times over. Saab lied about the cost, as well as intentionally or unintentionally conflating the numbers for the C/D.

Flyaway price is almost the same as the F-35, actual operating costs are unknown because there's less than twenty in service in any capacity, but Switzerland, Finland and Czech Republic found Saab's claims to be nonsense when they evaluated it against the F-35.