Canada, Denmark sign agreement for defence cooperation

Canada’s defence minister has signed an agreement at an international security forum to strengthen co-operation with Denmark on defence matters.

A news release from the Department of National Defence says David McGuinty, along with defence ministers for Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands have signed a memorandum of understanding for Canada-Denmark defence cooperation.

The release says the MOU covers areas including defence innovation, industrial cooperation, mutual logistics support, as well as personnel, training, exercises and education.

The signing took place at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, and comes a month after U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his threats to annex Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark.

The release notes the MOU reflects “a shared commitment to transatlantic security and reinforces cooperation between NATO allies at a time of increasing complexity in the global security environment.”

Canada opened a consulate in Greenland’s capital Nuuk earlier this month, and while the consulate was planned before Trump’s return to the White House, it has since become a show of solidarity with Denmark.

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“Today, we send a clear message: the Arctic is secure, and we will keep it that way,” McGuinty said in the news release.

The release notes Canada shares a 3,000-kilometre maritime border with Denmark, as well as historic and cultural ties between its Inuit populations.

It says Denmark also joined Canada’s Maritime Security Partnership at the NATO summit in June.