Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is strengthening partnerships with Nordic allies as the country navigates rising geopolitical tensions and uncertainty in global trade.
Carney travelled to Bardufoss and Oslo, Norway, where he met with leaders from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland to deepen cooperation on defence, Arctic security, trade and critical minerals.
During the visit, Carney observed Exercise Cold Response, a Norwegian led NATO military exercise above the Arctic Circle designed to strengthen readiness and interoperability among allied forces.
The meetings also focused on economic cooperation, particularly around securing supply chains for critical minerals, clean energy technologies and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and space communications.
The trip comes as Canada looks to diversify trade relationships and reinforce partnerships with countries that share similar democratic values.
Carney has previously emphasized the importance of collaboration among “middle powers”, countries that are not global superpowers but play significant roles in shaping international stability and trade.
The renewed focus on allied cooperation also comes amid renewed tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, which have raised concerns about the reliability of North American trade relationships.
While several proposed tariffs from the Trump administration have faced legal challenges in U.S. courts in the past, there has been no ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court declaring such tariffs illegal.
Canadian officials say expanding partnerships with trusted allies can help reduce economic risk and strengthen supply chains.
During the trip, Carney also met with business leaders in Norway to promote Canada as a destination for investment, highlighting opportunities in mining, energy and defence industries.
Leaders from Canada and the Nordic countries agreed to deepen cooperation going forward, particularly in areas tied to Arctic security and economic resilience.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
