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SAINT-PIERRE, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron moved Sunday to deepen a strategic partnership spanning space, defense, energy and business, another step in Canada\u2019s accelerating turn toward Europe as relations with the United States deteriorate.<\/p>\n
Carney said the countries will task their space agencies and defense ministries to develop and share infrastructure, including launch systems and ground-based reception facilities. They also agreed to expand cooperation in energy, telecommunications, climate resilience and economic development.<\/p>\n
The meeting comes days after Carney embraced the prospect of Canada becoming the European Union\u2019s first associate member and argued that deeper ties with Europe would make Canada less vulnerable to economic coercion by any single country.<\/p>\n
\u201cCanada and Europe will build an alliance for the future that will strengthen our collective resilience so we can live our lives as we choose based on the values that we share,\u201d Carney said Sunday.<\/p>\n
Macron called Carney\u2019s visit a \u201chistoric moment,\u201d saying that amid global turmoil, the two countries were affirming \u201cour sovereignty, our freedom to decide\u201d and their determination to build closer ties.<\/p>\n
Macron also backed Canada\u2019s future involvement in the European Union.<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump\u2019s tariffs, demands for economic concessions and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st US state have pushed the Canadian government to reduce its dependence on its neighbor and pursue deeper economic, security and political relationships with Europe.<\/p>\n
Macron welcomed Carney on Sunday at the airport of the French territory off Newfoundland\u2019s coast.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an important moment,\u201d Macron said Saturday upon arrival in Saint-Pierre-et- Miquelon, home to about 5,800 people.<\/p>\n
Talks \u201cwill allow us \u2026 to strengthen our bilateral economic ties and defense relationship,\u201d Macron said.<\/p>\n
Macron also said that Sunday\u2019s talks are part of broader efforts to help France secure oil and gas supplies as the Iran war disrupts global energy markets and raises fears of higher prices for fuel and other essentials.<\/p>\n
\u201cCanada is a country with significant resources of critical minerals and rare earths. It is also a major oil and natural gas producer,\u201d Macron said. \u201cWhat we want to do is conclude agreements to secure more liquefied natural gas that can be shipped to Europe\u2019s Atlantic coast.\u201d<\/p>\n
The leaders discussed aerospace, energy, critical minerals and advanced technologies such as quantum computing, satellites and supercomputing, Carney\u2019s office said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Sunday\u2019s meeting also follows Trump\u2019s announcement of a deal on Greenland that would expand the US military presence there while keeping the island under Danish control. The agreement followed months of threats by Trump to seize the semiautonomous territory of a NATO ally.<\/p>\n
Macron welcomed the agreement Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cDanish sovereignty is being respected, international law is being respected,\u201d he said. \u201cAnything that helps ease tensions is a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n