Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit Yellowknife before embarking on trips to Norway and the United Kingdom for meetings with allied leaders. In Norway, he will travel north of the Arctic Circle to observe NATO’s large-scale Cold Response training exercise amid escalating global tensions, including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
During the military exercise, the prime minister will be accompanied by his Norwegian counterpart and the chancellor of Germany. While both Norway and Germany support German submarine-maker TKMS in its bid to supply Canada with new submarines, the multibillion-dollar program is not currently on the agenda.
TKMS and South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean have submitted their bids to the Canadian government, which is expected to make a prompt decision. Carney’s visit to Norway, the first by a Canadian prime minister since 1980, will also involve meetings with leaders from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland as part of a Nordic summit.
The trip will conclude with a visit to the U.K., where Carney is set to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at No. 10 Downing Street. The discussions are likely to focus on the U.S.-Iran conflict and its impact on the oil crisis. Recently, Carney and Starmer joined other G7 leaders in condemning Iran’s actions in the Gulf states and emphasizing the importance of preventing further escalation of the conflict.
Canadian troops are participating in the Cold Response exercise led by Norway, alongside forces from 14 nations. The visit and interactions with troops and commanders are expected to provide valuable insights for shaping Canada’s Arctic policy and defense strategy.
Additionally, the trip and meetings with Nordic leaders are seen as a political gesture, signaling a united front on Arctic security matters. The engagement aims to assure U.S. President Donald Trump that Arctic security is being effectively managed. The Cold Response exercise, part of the Arctic Sentry initiative, is designed to enhance coordination among countries operating in the High North, including surveillance efforts.
The exercise in Norway, scheduled from March 9 to 19, will assess Norway’s readiness for crisis reinforcement. Participating countries include Norway, Canada, the United States, the U.K., Germany, Netherlands, France, Sweden, and Finland.