Why Canada Is Considering Sending Soldiers to Greenland

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is considering whether to deploy Canadian soldiers to Greenland as part of NATO-led military exercises, a move that would place Ottawa more visibly in an escalating Arctic standoff sparked by Donald Trump’s renewed push to acquire the territory.

According to a CBC News report, senior Canadian officials have drawn up contingency plans that were presented to the federal government last week. While a Royal Canadian Air Force unit is already participating in a pre-planned NORAD exercise in Greenland, Carney is now weighing whether to send additional ground forces to take part in sovereignty-focused exercises being organised by Denmark.

Officials cautioned that no final decision has been made. One option under consideration includes flying a small contingent of Canadian soldiers to Greenland as early as the end of the week if the government gives the green light. The potential deployment was first reported by The Globe and Mail.

Carney’s deliberations come against the backdrop of rising diplomatic and military activity in the Arctic. Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands and Finland have already sent limited numbers of troops to Greenland as part of the exercise, while Denmark has extended an invitation to the United States to join as well.

The timing is significant.

Trump has recently intensified his campaign to acquire Greenland, arguing that US control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory is necessary for national security, citing growing Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic. He has coupled that demand with explicit tariff threats, warning that European countries—including Denmark and the UK—could face 10% tariffs from February 1, 2026, escalating to 25% from June 1, 2026, if negotiations do not move in Washington’s favour.

Speaking at a press conference in Qatar over the weekend, Carney pushed back firmly on that approach. Canada, he said, is “concerned” by Trump’s tariff threats and will “always support sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries wherever their geographic location is.” Decisions on Greenland’s future, Carney stressed, are for Greenland and Denmark alone to make.

The United States, meanwhile, has also taken steps to reinforce its Arctic posture. NORAD confirmed that it will deploy an aircraft to the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland to support long-planned operations, noting that the move is being coordinated with Denmark and Greenland.

Together, the developments underline how Greenland—once a remote strategic outpost—has become a focal point in a broader contest over Arctic security, alliance solidarity and economic coercion.

For Canada, any troop deployment would be less about scale and more about symbolism: a signal that sovereignty in the Arctic is not negotiable—and that NATO allies intend to draw that line together.

(ANI and yMedia are the content partners for this story)