Carney weighs sending soldiers to Greenland for military exercises with NATO allies: sources

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Prime Minister Mark Carney is considering sending soldiers to Greenland for military exercises with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens tariffs on European nations unless they let him purchase and control the semiautonomous island.

Two senior Canadian officials have told CBC News that a set of contingency plans were drawn up last week and presented to the federal government.

A Royal Canadian Air Force contingent is already taking part in a pre-planned NORAD exercise in Greenland, but the prime minister is weighing whether to send additional forces as part of sovereignty exercises the Danes are planning, which could include drills to protect the Arctic island’s critical infrastructure. 

Given the political implications of Canada joining and the potential blowback from the Trump administration, both sources said they’re not certain which way the government is leaning. 

CBC is not naming the sources because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

WATCH | Trump threatens tariffs on European countries opposed to his Greenland demand:

Trump threatens EU tariffs unless U.S. buys Greenland

The United States will impose increasing tariffs on several European countries until the U.S. is able to purchase Greenland, President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.

Among the options, a small contingent of Canadian soldiers could be flown to Greenland by the end of the week if called upon, the sources said. 

News of the potential deployment was first reported by the Globe and Mail.

While the nations involved are all members of NATO, the sources emphasized, joining the Danish exercise would be outside the western military alliance’s framework — much like the efforts to help Ukraine have fallen to the coalition of the willing.

Over the weekend, Trump reiterated his demand that the U.S. buy and control Greenland, claiming that China and Russia also want the island. 

On social media, he threatened a 10 per cent tariff on eight European countries opposed to the idea: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland.

Danish soldiers disembark at the port in Nuuk, Greenland, on Sunday. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/The Associated Press)

The tariff rate would rise to 25 per cent on June 1 if the U.S. did not reach a deal to buy Greenland, Trump added.

The countries named by Trump have backed Denmark, warning that the U.S. military seizure of a NATO territory could collapse the military alliance that Washington leads.

In a statement released Sunday morning, the eight European countries said they stand in full solidarity with the people of Greenland and “stand ready to engage in a dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we stand firmly behind.

“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” the statement added.

Denmark specifically announced earlier this week it would bolster its troop, naval and air presence in Greenland in conjunction with NATO allies.

Canada ‘concerned’ by Trump’s threat: Carney

At a press conference in Doha, Qatar on Saturday morning, Carney said Canada is “concerned” by Trump’s tariff threat and “we always will support sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries wherever their geographic location is.”

“Decisions about the future of Greenland are for Greenland and Denmark to decide,” the prime minister added.

WATCH | Gen. Jennie Carignan speaks with CBC’s Rosemary Barton:

Global environment has ‘fundamentally changed’ over past 5 years: Chief of the defence staff

Gen. Jennie Carignan, chief of the defence staff, discusses Canadian security and what the priorities are for the Canadian Armed Forces with Rosemary Barton. Plus, Gen. Dick Berlijn, former chief of defence for the Netherlands, discusses the latest threats from U.S. President Donald Trump and how the European Union is preparing to respond. And, Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson joins to talk about concerns in his territory over threats to Arctic security.

Gen. Jennie Carignan, chief of the defence staff, said in an interview on CBC’s Rosemary Barton Live that Trump’s interest in controlling Greenland certainly causes “discussions within NATO.”

When asked whether Canada is working on a proposal to contribute Canadian forces on the ground, Carignan said Canada is “always working closely with our Danish partner.”

“There’s definitely a lot of interest in Arctic security from a NATO perspective as well, and we will work together to do that,” Carignan said.