OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney is once more heading abroad, this time to Norway to look at NATO Chilly Response workouts as Canada deepens ties with Nordic nations.
He’ll cease first in Yellowknife on Thursday.
“On this time of worldwide uncertainty, it’s actually essential that we strengthen the co-operation with Canada, with Norway and with the Nordic nations collectively,” Norwegian Ambassador to Canada Hanne Ulrichsen mentioned in an interview Wednesday.
She mentioned Norway invited Carney to go to and has convened heads of presidency from Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland to Oslo in order that Carney can advance efforts to strengthen commerce and power ties with the so-called Nordic 5.
However first, Carney will journey to Bardufoss, Norway on Friday to observe the navy workouts, and senior authorities officers mentioned the prime minister will attend together with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Retailer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The Norwegian-led NATO train occurs each two years and entails 25,000 troops from 14 member nations. The Canadian Armed Forces wouldn’t specify what number of Canadian personnel are concerned.
Senior authorities officers who briefed reporters on background forward of the journey mentioned the main focus of those workouts is to boost NATO’s Arctic readiness, interoperability and collective defence capabilities.
Finland and Sweden joined the NATO alliance in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Canada has regularly urged the alliance to focus extra on safety issues within the Arctic, the place local weather change is predicted to permit for extra sea visitors and competitors over assets.
Carney is scheduled to have a bilateral assembly with Retailer on Saturday. They’re anticipated to speak about overseas funding, clear power, crucial minerals, aerospace and synthetic intelligence. The 2 are additionally anticipated to speak about world power safety because the warfare in Iran disrupts world provide chains.
After that assembly, the 2 leaders are set to go to a cross-country ski coaching facility close to Oslo.
On Sunday, Carney is scheduled to satisfy with the Nordic 5 leaders. A Canadian authorities official mentioned this assembly is predicted to give attention to commerce, innovation and methods to strengthen Arctic co-operation. The official mentioned Norway is among the many world’s wealthiest and most subtle traders, thanks partially to its petroleum-based sovereign wealth fund.
Norway sees Canada as a kind of sister nation — one which tries to pair oil wealth with inexperienced expertise and promotes diplomacy and multilateralism to take care of disputes. The nation has an Indigenous inhabitants, the Sami, who play a component in researching local weather change and crafting insurance policies on pure assets.
Ulrichsen mentioned Norway additionally needs to shore up a geopolitical order below immense pressure.
“Each nations are essential supporters of worldwide regulation, human rights and bilateral co-operation,” Ulrichsen mentioned. “We work collectively throughout the UN, inside WTO, inside NATO, and we now have lots of shared pursuits … with regards to the Arctic, transatlantic co-operation, pure assets, sustainable growth and Ukraine.”
Carney would be the first Canadian prime minister to make an official go to to Norway since 1980. Norway has earned a status as a diplomatic heavyweight over a long time, main the Oslo accords between Israel and the Palestinians and the peace course of that ended the second Sudanese civil warfare.
Ulrichsen mentioned defending Ukraine is a high challenge for her nation, which has a land border with Russia. She says Ottawa’s sturdy assist for Ukraine within the face of Russia’s warfare is seen in Oslo, which like Canada has been ramping up defence spending.
She mentioned Norway is seeking to increase societal resilience to threats, whether or not they come from navy interventions, pure disasters or local weather change. She mentioned the 2 nations may have the ability to co-operate on these initiatives.
“We really feel the quick menace stronger in Europe than I see this sentiment right here is in Canada,” she mentioned. “When it comes to the defence investments and the co-operation, I feel there (is) lots of discuss now in Norway with regards to complete defence, and the way you strengthen each the Arctic and the civil society to be ready for no matter may come.”
Ulrichsen mentioned Norway is a significant investor in carbon seize and storage, a expertise that has develop into a spotlight for Canada. She mentioned she expects talks to the touch on that expertise and on collaboration in house expertise and Arctic safety.
The prime minister is scheduled to go away Norway for London on Sunday.
Whereas within the U.Okay., Carney is predicted to satisfy with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Avenue on Monday. The senior authorities official mentioned they’re planning to debate the state of affairs within the Center East and the warfare in Ukraine.
London is the final scheduled cease on the official itinerary.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 12, 2026.
David Baxter and Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press