Canada and France to develop space systems as Carney seeks EU ties

Canada and France have asked their space agencies and defence departments to develop and share infrastructure including space-launch systems, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Sunday alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Saint-Pierre, a French territory near Newfoundland and Labrador. No timelines or funding commitments were disclosed. The measure illustrates Canada’s push to deepen ties with European partners as it seeks to reduce economic dependence on the U.S., with Carney framing the effort in terms of sovereignty, citing secure access to AI, space, semiconductors, critical minerals, and clean energy. This follows European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal to make Canada the first associate member of the EU, a status with no precedent that would likely take years to negotiate. The announcement comes amid soured relations with the U.S., its largest trading partner, after President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on US$20 billion of Canadian goods last month, prompting retaliation. Carney also announced enhanced defence cooperation with Norway, including agreements between Kongsberg Gruppen and Canadian space companies MDA Space and Telesat, plus Arctic research and critical minerals mapping projects.