Prime Minister Mark Carney is again heading overseas, this time to Norway to observe NATO Cold Response exercises as Canada deepens ties with Nordic countries.
His first stop is in Yellowknife today.
"In this time of global uncertainty, it's really important that we strengthen the co-operation with Canada, with Norway and with the Nordic countries together," Norwegian Ambassador to Canada Hanne Ulrichsen said in an interview Wednesday.
She said Norway invited Carney to visit and has convened heads of government from Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland to Oslo so that Carney can advance efforts to strengthen trade and energy ties with the so-called Nordic Five.
But first, Carney will travel to Bardufoss, Norway on Friday to watch the military exercises, and senior government officials said the prime minister will attend along with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The Norwegian-led NATO exercise happens every two years and involves 25,000 troops from 14 member nations. The Canadian Armed Forces would not specify how many Canadian personnel are involved.
Senior government officials who briefed reporters on background ahead of the trip said the focus of these exercises is to enhance NATO's Arctic readiness, interoperability and collective defence capabilities.
Finland and Sweden joined the NATO alliance in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Canada has continually urged the alliance to focus more on security concerns in the Arctic, where climate change is expected to allow for more sea traffic and competition over resources.
Carney is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Store on Saturday. They're expected to talk about foreign investment, clean energy, critical minerals, aerospace and artificial intelligence. The two are also expected to talk about global energy security as the war in Iran disrupts global supply chains.
After that meeting, the two leaders are set to visit a cross-country ski training facility near Oslo.
On Sunday, Carney is scheduled to meet with the Nordic Five leaders. A Canadian government official said this meeting is expected to focus on trade, innovation and ways to strengthen Arctic co-operation. The official said Norway is among the world's wealthiest and most sophisticated investors, thanks in part to its petroleum-based sovereign wealth fund.
Norway sees Canada as a sort of sister country — one that tries to pair oil wealth with green technology and promotes diplomacy and multilateralism to deal with disputes. The country has an Indigenous population, the Sami, who play a part in researching climate change and crafting policies on natural resources.
Ulrichsen said Norway also wants to shore up a geopolitical order under immense strain.
"Both countries are important supporters of international law, human rights and bilateral co-operation," Ulrichsen said. "We work together within the UN, within WTO, within NATO, and we have a lot of shared interests … when it comes to the Arctic, transatlantic co-operation, natural resources, sustainable development and Ukraine."
Carney will be the first Canadian prime minister to make an official visit to Norway since 1980. Norway has earned a reputation as a diplomatic heavyweight over decades, leading the Oslo accords between Israel and the Palestinians and the peace process that ended the second Sudanese civil war.
Ulrichsen said defending Ukraine is a top issue for her country, which has a land border with Russia. She says Ottawa's strong support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's war is noticed in Oslo, which like Canada has been ramping up defence spending.
She said Norway is looking to boost societal resilience to threats, whether they come from military interventions, natural disasters or climate change. She said the two countries might be able to co-operate on those initiatives.
"We feel the immediate threat stronger in Europe than I see this sentiment here is in Canada," she said. "In terms of the defence investments and the co-operation, I think there (is) a lot of talk now in Norway when it comes to total defence, and how you strengthen both the Arctic and the civil society to be prepared for whatever might come."
Ulrichsen said Norway is a major investor in carbon capture and storage, a technology that has become a focus for Canada. She said she expects talks to touch on that technology and on collaboration in space technology and Arctic security.
The prime minister is scheduled to leave Norway for London on Sunday.
While in the U.K., Carney is expected to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street on Monday. The senior government official said they are planning to discuss the situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.
London is the last scheduled stop on the official itinerary.
