Canada, France to develop space systems as Carney eyes EU

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Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP via Getty ImagesCanada and France have asked their space agencies and defence departments to develop and share infrastructure including space-launch systems, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on a visit to a French territory near Newfoundland and Labrador.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe prime minister made the announcement Sunday alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at Saint-Pierre, the capital of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, a French archipelago that sits just off Canada’s Atlantic coast. No timelines or funding commitments were disclosed.The measure illustrates Canada’s push to deepen its ties with European partners as it tries to reduce its economic dependence on the U.S. Carney framed the effort in terms of sovereignty.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“Today to be sovereign goes beyond being able to feed, fuel and defend ourselves,” he said. “It requires secure access to artificial intelligence, to space, semiconductors, critical minerals, clean energy.”On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the first associate member of the European Union. The arrangement has no precedent in the bloc, and negotiations on what such a status would entail are likely to take years. Carney said Canada wants a “far stronger, more ambitious alliance” with the EU, including cooperation in several areas.Canada’s move to strengthen its European links comes as its relations have soured with the U.S., its largest trading partner. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on US$20 billion of goods imported from Canada last month — adding to existing tariffs on autos, steel, lumber and other items.Canada retaliated with tariffs on a roughly equal amount of U.S.-made products, prompting further retaliation from the White House.Canada and France will also task the regional joint cooperation commission between Atlantic Canada and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon to expand its work in areas such as fishing, economic growth, energy and telecommunications, Carney said.“Canada and Europe will build an alliance for the future that will strengthen our collective resilience,” the prime minister said.Later on Sunday, Carney and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said their countries will pursue an enhanced defence cooperation agreement, adding that closer military and industrial ties between the two northern nations will be a boost to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.Carney said the pact would put the relationship “at the level of our closest security partners.”In July, Canada chose a German-Norwegian bid led by TKMS to build a new submarine fleet in what’s being described as the country’s largest-ever defence procurement.Norwegian defense contractor Kongsberg Gruppen ASA is signing agreements with two Canadian space companies during Støre’s visit to Canada, according to a joint statement from the two leaders. One is a memorandum of understanding with MDA Space Ltd. on space-based intelligence and surveillance. The other is an agreement with Telesat Corp. to explore collaboration on its Lightspeed low-Earth-orbit satellite network.This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.The leaders also announced Arctic and Antarctic research cooperation between Polar Knowledge Canada and the Norwegian Polar Institute, and new joint critical minerals mapping projects. They said they will explore working together on testing advanced artificial intelligence systems, without giving details.Asked at a joint news conference whether Trump might view a closer Canada-Norway relationship as hostile — after the president made negative comments about the proposed Canada-EU alliance — Carney said deeper ties between allies make NATO stronger, “the United States very much included.”Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.