In a more dangerous and divided world, regions once considered isolated from global tensions are becoming areas of growing competition. The Arctic is at the centre of this shift. 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.
To these ends, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, today announced that he will travel to Bardufoss and Oslo, Norway, from March 13 to 15, 2026. In Bardufoss, the Prime Minister will observe the Norwegian-led NATO Exercise Cold Response, where troops from 14 Allied nations will gather above the Arctic Circle to enhance the Alliance’s readiness, interoperability, and defence capabilities. This exercise is 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 this critical moment.
In Oslo, Prime Minister Carney will meet with the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, 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, the Prime Minister 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.
The Prime Minister will then travel to London, United Kingdom, where he will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to discuss a range of issues, including collective defence, global economic shifts, and the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
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“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.”
The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
Quick facts
- This is Prime Minister Carney’s first visit to Norway since taking office.
- Exercise Cold Response brings together troops from 14 nations, including Norway, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, Türkiye, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Belgium to train for operations in Arctic and extreme winter conditions.
- At the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague, Canada and our NATO Allies agreed to a new Defence Investment Pledge of investing 5% of annual GDP by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective security. As part of this pledge, Canada will invest 3.5% of GDP for core military capabilities and 1.5% of GDP in critical defence and security-related expenditure.
- Canada officially joined the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative at the Munich Security Conference in February 2026. SAFE is a key pillar of the EU’s Readiness 2030 plan, and Canada’s participation in SAFE will enhance defence readiness on both sides of the Atlantic.