Arctic prepardness dominates Canada-Finland bilaterial meeting
Arctic preparedness dominated the Canada-Finland bilateral meeting in Ottawa this week, ending with a pledge to boost cooperation on sea operations and navigating icy maritime conditions.
“As Arctic nations, we will advance shared priorities through stronger Arctic research, education, including indigenous-led education, and knowledge exchange, and closer cooperation on Arctic security, maritime safety, and polar capabilities,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finnish President Alexander Stubb said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
The Canada–Finland Maritime Memorandum of Understanding focuses on shipbuilding and icebreaker development, with the joint statement saying it will bring businesses and researchers in both countries closer together, especially around ports, shipbuilding and technologies that improve operations at sea.
“At a time of global transformation, marked by strategic competition and an emerging international order, Canada and Finland share a common conviction: we must pursue both strategic autonomy and strategic cooperation to safeguard shared security and prosperity in an uncertain world,” the statement said.
Security and critical minerals
With Russia’s war in Ukraine continuing to dominate the security landscape in Europe and increasingly having ramifications for the Arctic, Finland and Canada said an agreement on security information between the two countries is now being discussed.
“As NATO Allies, Canada and Finland reaffirm our shared commitment to the rules-based international order and to our collective security,” the statement said.
“We will deepen defence and security cooperation through information sharing, training, and interoperability.”
The countries also said that given the two nations’ geological similarities, cooperation on critical minerals and the technology needed to exploiting them will be an ongoing focus of their cooperation.
Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Finland’s president on why he believes Canada could — eventually — be part of the EU, CBC News
Finland: European Commission names former Finnish PM as EU-Arctic relations advisor, Eye on the Arctic
Greenland: Denmark to expand Arctic surveillance with purchase of long-range drones, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Norwegian police move training north as Russia eyes body-snatching law, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Arctic militarization could lead to ‘unintentional incidents’ in region, Russia warns, The Canadian Press
