Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to deepen cooperation between Canada and France, with the two leaders announcing closer collaboration in defence, energy, space, technology and trade.
The leaders met Sunday in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, a French territory located off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, in the first official visit to the archipelago by a Canadian prime minister. Their meeting came as Canada seeks to strengthen relationships with European partners and expand cooperation beyond its traditional economic ties with the United States.
Carney and Macron reaffirmed the longstanding relationship between the two countries and emphasized the importance of working together on security, economic resilience and shared strategic interests. They also discussed cooperation on major international issues, including the war in Ukraine, European and transatlantic security, the Middle East and Arctic affairs.
A major focus of the discussions was space and defence. The two leaders directed their respective space agencies, defence ministries and industries to explore the joint development and sharing of space infrastructure, including launch systems and ground-based reception and control facilities.
Canada and France also agreed to strengthen cooperation in aerospace, energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, telecommunications and climate resilience. The countries are also looking at opportunities to expand economic and business ties.
The two leaders welcomed a new strategic partnership involving the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and France’s CCI France. The initiative is intended to deepen business connections, increase bilateral economic cooperation and diversify trade between the two countries.
Energy security was another important topic. Carney and Macron discussed the impact of international conflicts on energy supplies and the potential for greater cooperation as Canada seeks to expand its energy sector and strengthen its position as a supplier of both conventional and clean energy.
The meeting also comes shortly after Carney proposed a deeper and more integrated relationship between Canada and the European Union. French officials have expressed support for the idea of Canada becoming the EU’s first associate member, although the proposed arrangement is still being discussed and no final agreement has been reached.
Macron said France supports closer cooperation between Canada and the European Union, while Carney has described the proposed relationship as a new type of partnership that could strengthen Canada’s economic and strategic links with Europe.
Canada and France are already NATO allies and have longstanding cooperation in defence and security. Their bilateral merchandise trade was valued at approximately $15.2 billion in 2025, according to the Canadian government.
The leaders also highlighted their shared interest in artificial intelligence. Both Canada and France are major participants in international AI development, and Carney said countries with leading capabilities should cooperate on the responsible development of emerging technologies.
The location of the meeting carried particular significance. Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon is a French overseas collectivity only about 25 kilometres from Newfoundland and Labrador, making France a direct neighbour of Canada through the archipelago. The leaders emphasized the historical, cultural and people-to-people connections between the territory and Atlantic Canada.
Carney and Macron also agreed to expand regional cooperation between Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and Atlantic Canada in areas including trade diversification, energy transition, climate resilience, early-warning systems and cross-border security.
The meeting comes at a time of significant changes in Canada’s international relationships. Ottawa is seeking to diversify trade and strengthen partnerships with Europe as tensions with the United States continue over tariffs and other economic issues. The Canada-France relationship is expected to form an important part of those broader efforts.
The two leaders are scheduled to continue their discussions in New York during the United Nations General Assembly, where they are expected to address wider international and security issues.