politics
Prime Minister Carney to Northern Norway
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Northern Norway for the first time since taking office, to strengthen collective defence and security.
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Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney (Liberal), has announced that he will travel to Bardufoss in the Norwegian Arctic as well as to the capitol Oslo from March 13 to 15.
According to the press release, the Prime Minister will observe the Norwegian-led NATO Exercise Cold Response in Bardufoss, where troops from 14 Allied nations are gathered above the Arctic Circle to enhance the Alliance’s readiness, interoperability, and defence capabilities.
This exercise is considered an important demonstration of NATO’s shared resolve to defend the Alliance's northern flank – supported by the participation of its newest members, Sweden and Finland, at "a critical moment".
An Arctic nation
“Canada is, and forever will be, an Arctic nation. In the face of new threats, we are deepening defence collaboration with our Arctic partners to create a stronger, more prosperous, and more secure world for Canada and for all", says Carney.
The press release states that regions once considered isolated from global tensions are becoming areas of growing competition, and that the Arctic is at the centre of this shift.
Canada is, and forever will be, an Arctic nation
"To protect Canadian sovereignty and the collective security of our Allies, Canada’s new government is strengthening our presence in the North, deepening our security and economic partnerships, and building our domestic defence capabilities", the statement says.
Canada-Nordic Summit
In Oslo, Prime Minister Carney will meet with the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre (Labour), to advance the Canada-Norway relationship across trade, investment, clean energy, critical minerals, and aerospace.
Prime Minister Carney will then attend the Canada-Nordic Summit and meet with other Nordic partners to deepen geopolitical coordination and enhance transatlantic security, including in the North.
During his visit, Carney will also engage with business leaders to position Canada as a premier destination for global capital and investment, particularly in the defence, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence sectors.
He will then travel to London, United Kingdom, where he will meet with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) to discuss a range of issues, including collective defence, global economic shifts, and the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
