A new push to strengthen ties between Canada and France is taking shape, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meeting French President Emmanuel Macron in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, a French territory off Canada’s Atlantic coast.
The two leaders said on Sunday that they would expand cooperation in areas including security, energy and fishing. Carney also proposed joint work involving France, Canada, the United States and China on artificial intelligence.
Macron said the two countries shared a commitment to sovereignty, democracy and the rule of law, while Carney said the time had come to deepen Canada’s relationship with France and the European Union.
The meeting comes amid strained relations between Canada and the United States, while Macron has continued to advocate greater European strategic autonomy. Carney has also supported closer ties with the European Union, including a proposal for Canada to become an associate member.
The visit was the first by a Canadian prime minister to Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, France’s last remaining territory in North America.
