Canada to Open First Consulate in Greenland Amid Arctic Tensions and US Rhetoric

Last Updated:February 06, 2026, 18:13 IST

Canada opens its first consulate in Nuuk, led by Mary Simon and Anita Anand, signaling support for Greenlandic self-determination amid rising Arctic geopolitical tensions.

Canada is set to open its first diplomatic outpost in Greenland, a move widely seen as a show of solidarity with the Arctic territory following repeated remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting Washington should take control of the island.

According to the BBC, a high-level Canadian delegation, including Governor General Mary Simon and Foreign Minister Anita Anand, is travelling to Nuuk on Friday to formally open the consulate. The visit will be accompanied by a Canadian Coast Guard vessel.

Ahead of the trip, Simon said Canada “stands firmly in support of the people of Greenland who will determine their own future," underlining Ottawa’s backing of Greenlandic self-determination.

The Canadian move coincides with a similar visit by French officials, who are also opening a consulate in Nuuk on the same day. Until now, only Iceland and the United States maintained formal diplomatic missions in the Greenlandic capital.

The twin openings mark a historic expansion of foreign diplomatic engagement in Greenland and signal renewed support from NATO allies, amid concerns raised by Trump’s earlier comments that the US needed to “own" Greenland for national security reasons. Trump has since softened his stance, saying Washington is exploring a potential deal after discussions with Denmark, European allies and Canada.

Although the consulate was first announced in early 2024 as part of Canada’s Arctic foreign policy review, its opening, initially planned for late 2025 and delayed due to harsh weather, has taken on greater significance amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Michael Myers, a professor at the University of British Columbia and an Arctic expert, said the move was overdue, given the deep ties between Greenland and Arctic Canada. He noted that Iqaluit is just an hour’s flight from Nuuk, and that Canadian Inuit share strong cultural and familial bonds with Greenlandic Inuit.

Simon, who grew up in Nunavik in northern Quebec, is the first Canadian governor general to visit Greenland since 1982. She has spoken of her early exposure to Greenlandic Inuit culture, recalling how her grandmother listened to Inuit songs from Greenland on a shortwave radio. “These are our relatives who live in faraway lands. We are all one people," Simon recalled during a recent Arctic conference in Norway.

Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, said the consulate is the result of years of advocacy by Inuit leaders seeking closer ties with Greenland. Around 50 Canadian Inuit are expected to travel from Montreal to Nuuk to attend the opening ceremony.

Obed said US rhetoric about Greenland resonates deeply among Inuit communities in Canada because of their shared colonial history and lingering concerns over sovereignty. He also pointed to longstanding vulnerabilities in the Arctic, including limited infrastructure, which affect both national security and daily life for northern residents.

Canada has increasingly framed Arctic security as a national priority. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has pledged a year-round military presence in the Arctic and more than $1 billion in funding for northern infrastructure projects with both civilian and defence uses.

Foreign Minister Anand has described Arctic defence as “an unquestionable national security priority," stressing that it is central to protecting Canada and contributing to global security.

During the visit, Governor General Simon is scheduled to meet Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, while Anand will hold talks with Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt.

News world Canada to Open First Consulate in Greenland Amid Arctic Tensions and US Rhetoric

Read More