Canadian-Swedish Strategic Partnership released

The Canadian government has released the full text of the Canadian-Swedish Strategic Partnership a day before it is scheduled to be signed. The partnership, which was first detailed in the summer, lays out the foundation for elevating the strategic relationship between Canada and Sweden.

While we had a fairly good idea at what would be included, this text outlines for the first time both the details and the next steps both Sweden and Canada will take to foster and develop their relationship. This is the second of such partnerships to be signed in the last month.

The Canadian government signed a similar partmership with the Republic of Korea when Mark Carney visited the country for APEC 2025. That partnership had a defence focus compared tothis one. That isnt to dismiss this though, as defence continues to remain one of the key pillars of the Carney government’s push to diversify our trade and security relationship away from the United States.

Before we continue, I thought it best to provide you the full text, so that you might be able to see it for yourself first:

---

Northern allies, innovators, and trade partners: Strategic partnership between Canada and Sweden

A partnership based on common values and mutual interests

Canada and Sweden (the “Participants”) share a close relationship with extensive cooperation based on common values and mutual interests. As NATO Allies, we stand united in defending our freedom, territories, values, and interests. We are like-minded Arctic nations with shared interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic region, and who recognise the vital contributions and rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic in keeping with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and international law. Canada and Sweden affirm our strong commitment to democracy and multilateralism, and to upholding human rights, including gender equality, the rule of law and the rules-based international order and trade system.

We confirm our shared desire to reinforce our bilateral relations through the establishment of this Strategic Partnership. It will strengthen the already close relations between our countries and further develop our cooperation in key policy areas, inter alia, competitiveness, trade and investment, economic development, security and defence, digital transition, science and research, innovation and technology, green transition, climate and energy, and Arctic cooperation and North-North connections. This Strategic Partnership reflects the rich and deepening ties between our peoples, governments, institutions, and businesses across the breadth of our relationship. It is aligned with the EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement, EU-Canada Security and Defence Partnership and Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

A reliable trade partnership

We are like-minded supporters of free and rules-based trade. Canada and Sweden have complementary economies and enjoy a strong and growing commercial relationship, and this Strategic Partnership can unlock significant opportunities for both countries. The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement offers predictability and transparency for businesses from both countries, and our countries are witnessing rapidly growing trade and investment relations.

Canada and Sweden will work together to further strengthen our business, commercial and industrial links, focusing particularly on sectors that will be most effective in enhancing the competitiveness, and productivity of our economies. We are committed to further diversifying and strengthening the resilience of our respective economies while reducing vulnerabilities in supply chains to minimize harmful dependencies.

This Strategic Partnership aims at promoting competitiveness and innovative solutions to societal challenges, such as the digital and green transition, as well as emerging strategic challenges. Leveraging key resources – such as our critical minerals, energy, and talent – will create new market opportunities for Canadian and Swedish businesses, foster sustainable economic development and create jobs, and help us achieve ambitions across a range of priorities from security and defence to prosperity, and climate goals.

A joint commitment to security, defence, and stability

Enhancing our partnership is more important than ever given the global challenges we face together, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, increasing cyber and hybrid threats, the increasing impact of climate change and the corresponding need for higher global climate ambition. Canada and Sweden are committed to deepening and broadening our bilateral engagement to tackle these shared challenges, including by the development of a mutual arrangement on strengthened defence cooperation.

As close transatlantic partners, NATO Allies and Arctic nations, Canada and Sweden are committed to strengthening the transatlantic link further. Our joint responses to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine have demonstrated the importance of transatlantic unity and cooperation. NATO remains the cornerstone of Euro-Atlantic security and the bedrock of collective defence.

Canada and Sweden’s shared commitment to security and defence in the Euro-Atlantic area and the close partnership as NATO Allies provides an opportunity for deeper military cooperation between our countries, including through Canada’s role as framework nation for the NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia. We recognize the potential for joint defence procurement, production, capability development and innovation.

We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. We concur on the need to ensure accountability for Russia’s international crimes, including by establishing a special tribunal for the crime of aggression.

Canada and Sweden support Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts for a just and lasting peace based on international law and the UN Charter. To this end, Canada and Sweden will continue to work closely together with our other partners in the Coalition of the Willing to develop security guarantees for Ukraine and to support its defence. Canada and Sweden will also continue to support Ukraine on its irreversible path to full Euro-Atlantic integration; Ukraine’s future is in NATO. We will continue our support to Ukraine for as long as it takes, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Recognizing that Russia will remain the most significant threat to Euro-Atlantic security for the foreseeable future, Canada and Sweden will continue to cooperate closely to constrain and contest Russia’s aggressive actions and counter its ability to conduct destabilising activities. We underline the importance of limiting Russia’s ability to wage its war of aggression, including through supporting sanctions and measures against the shadow fleet transporting Russian oil used to circumvent sanctions and the G7 oil price cap.

Canada and Sweden recognise the value of our likeminded approach to arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation and continued cooperation within the frameworks of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (the Ottawa Convention), the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament and the Initiative for Reducing the Risk of Nuclear Conflict.

Guided by the core principles of multilateral cooperation, international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), territorial integrity, and the rules-based international order, Canada and Sweden are committed to strengthening our collaboration to address the complex global challenges in the Arctic and maintain the region as secure, peaceful, and prosperous. Canada and Sweden both recognize the Arctic Council as the pre-eminent forum for Arctic governance and cooperation on sustainable development and environmental protection in the region, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and for the benefit of the people living in the Arctic.

Canada and Sweden recognise that the prosperity and security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are inextricably linked. We will work to bolster partnerships with the Indo-Pacific region, including through the implementation of Canada’s and the EU’s Indo-Pacific Strategies, and Sweden’s defence policy direction for the Indo-Pacific region.

Enabling innovation and competitiveness through a strategic focus on science and technology

Canada and Sweden are global leaders in science and innovation. We recognise that our capacity in this respect is the key to solving the grand challenges of our time and fundamental for sustainable economic development and job creation.

We will build on the already close cooperation within established bodies such as the European Space Agency, Arctic Council, and others. Canada and Sweden encourage research collaboration between higher education institutions and research institutions, including through the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon Europe. To maintain our leadership in science and innovation we will foster research excellence, safeguard academic freedom and strengthen responsible internationalisation.

By leveraging closer collaboration in research and technology development, Canada and Sweden will continue to drive innovation while also supporting the responsible use and commercialisation of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum and space technologies, next-generation wireless networks, including 5G and 6G, and clean energy. This cooperation is expected to foster robust innovation ecosystems, unlock business opportunities, and support long-term economic growth.

Canada and Sweden will enhance cooperation in health, as well as pandemic and health emergency preparedness and response, focusing on pharmaceutical policy, life sciences, supply chain resilience, industrial cooperation, and medical countermeasures. Canada and Sweden will also endeavour to share knowledge and best practices in infectious disease monitoring and surveillance, as well as progress we have made towards global disease elimination targets.

Firmly committed to international development, environmental protection, climate action, and clean energy

Canada and Sweden are committed to the implementation of international development priorities and delivering accelerated progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Global Framework on Chemicals. As members of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, Canada and Sweden share the common ambition of ending plastic pollution by 2040.

Canada and Sweden are committed to advancing global climate action and efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C as set out in the Paris Agreement. Together, we will accelerate action in order to achieve net-zero emissions. This will be done in accordance with our respective national targets and in keeping with the science, including through cooperation on nuclear power, nuclear safety, and clean technologies. In response to shifting geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics, we will aim to deepen bilateral cooperation and promote the global adoption of advanced technologies in areas such as decarbonized steel, critical minerals, and small modular reactors, thereby supporting a sustainable and resilient future.

Scope of cooperation

Pillar 1: Economic development, competitiveness, trade and investment

Within this pillar, Canada and Sweden will deepen our partnership and cooperation in the following policy areas and topics, including but not limited to:

• bilateral trade, investment, and innovation relations

• economic security including critical minerals, foreign investment screening, and resilient and secure supply chains

• forestry, forest products and forest-based bioeconomy

• international trade and the multilateral trading system, including the WTO

• mining and critical minerals

• modular and prefabricated housing innovation

• talent attraction, migration and integration

• Work within this pillar will be coordinated by Global Affairs Canada and Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Pillar 2: Security, defence, and resilience

Within this pillar, Canada and Sweden will deepen our partnership and cooperation in the following policy areas and topics, including but not limited to:

• NATO and the transatlantic link

• long-term support to Ukraine

• strategic dialogue on security and defence issues

• military and civilian training and exercises, including multilaterally

• defence industrial co-operation in the land, air, and maritime domain, including critical underwater infrastructure

• defence materiel cooperation including information exchange, joint test and evaluation, exchange of personnel, common capability development and joint procurement

• defence research and development, innovation and technology, including new emerging and disruptive technologies, such as exploring advanced cyber capability, quantum technology and artificial intelligence

• defence logistics support and security of supply

• hybrid threats, cyber defence and cyber security, disinformation, and the space domain

• secure information exchange and situational awareness

• women, peace and security, including but not limited to women in peace operations

• arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation

• export control on military equipment and dual-use items

• climate-security nexus

• civilian missions and military operations under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy

• societal resilience, civil preparedness and the Swedish total defence concept

• democracy support

• Work within this pillar will be coordinated by Global Affairs Canada and Canada’s Department of National Defence, and Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence.

Pillar 3: Arctic cooperation and North-North connections

Within this pillar, Canada and Sweden will deepen our partnership and cooperation in the following policy areas and topics, including but not limited to:

• Arctic Council

• civil safety, and security and defence

• Indigenous culture and language

• Northern and Indigenous trade and export

• polar and Arctic research

• polar connectivity and infrastructure

• Work within this pillar will be coordinated by Global Affairs Canada and Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Pillar 4: Digital transition, research, science, innovation, technology, health and life sciences

Within this pillar, Canada and Sweden will deepen our partnership and cooperation in the following policy areas and topics, including but not limited to:

• antimicrobial resistance in the animal sector

• artificial intelligence

• biomanufacturing and life sciences

• digitalization and connectivity

• health emergency and pandemic preparedness and life sciences innovation

• infectious disease monitoring and surveillance

• next generation wireless networks and the use of secure, resilient and trusted connectivity, including 5G and 6G

• pharmaceutical policy

• quantum technology

• space

• Work within this pillar will be coordinated by Canada’s Department for Industry, Science and Economic Development, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Sweden’s Ministry of Education and Research and Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.

Pillar 5: Climate, environment, and energy

Within this pillar, Canada and Sweden will deepen our partnership and cooperation in the following policy areas and topics, including but not limited to:

• climate action, including mitigation, adaptation and finance, and with a focus on measures and technologies to close the ambition gap and advance implementation of national climate plans, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), in line with efforts to keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C warming goal within reach

• environmental protection, including plastic pollution

• promoting the deployment of clean electricity and nuclear power

• natural disasters and risk management

• nuclear power and direct and indirect fossil free electrification of the energy system, and nuclear safety, management of spent fuel and radioactive waste

• Work within this pillar will be coordinated by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada, and Sweden’s Ministry of Climate and Enterprise.

Application and review

This Strategic Partnership will bring together people, governments, institutions, and businesses, and paves the way for deepened cooperation between Canada and Sweden. An action plan will be developed with concrete actions in the pillars and their respective policy areas and topics set out above. These actions will be specified in the action plan and could include, inter alia:

• conferences, roundtables and business fora

• establishment of memoranda of understanding, agreements and treaties

• exchange and sharing of information and assessments

• exchange of expertise, experiences and best practices

• increased contacts and visits at political and civil servant levels, including government agencies

• joint engagement with external stakeholders such as businesses, academia and research institutes, think tanks and civil society organizations

• joint political initiatives and formulation of political positions, including in multilateral organizations, formats and contexts

• joint projects and cooperation platforms

• personnel exchange and secondments

• promotion of people-to-people contacts

• regular consultations at political and civil servant levels, including the establishment of dialogue formats and mechanisms

Global Affairs Canada and Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs will coordinate the application of this Strategic Partnership and its action plan, and review progress across the full range of policy areas and topics, in close consultation with the respective departments and ministries, and their subordinated government agencies.

Canada and Sweden will review progress of this Strategic Partnership and its action plan annually or when otherwise required.

Amendments of this Strategic Partnership and its action plan may be decided through regular diplomatic channels of communication between Canada and Sweden.

The Participants may amend this Strategic Partnership at any time upon their mutual written consent.

Either Participant may terminate this Strategic Partnership by giving to the other Participant ninety (90) days’ written notice of its intent to terminate.

Legal

This Strategic Partnership is not legally binding under international law.

Signed in the English and French languages, each version being equally valid.

---

While there was a primary defence focus with the Canadian-Korean Strategic Partnership, the Canadian-Swedish Strategic Partnership aims to be a more far-reaching and expansive agreement covering trade, Arctic cooperation, scientific research and development, and security and defence.

This partnership aims to lay out the foundation upon which future agreements and partnerships can be created. This is not too dissimilar from the Korean approach to things. I stand by the belief that the Korean roadmap is the model we should try to follow in many cases.

It is true that those initial agreements last year, along with the meetings and conferences they established, directly led us to where we are today. We now have a comprehensive security and defence partnership and were able to finalize a general security of information agreement very quickly.

This agreement is also quite a bit bigger than what many expected. We did not have a clear idea of what would be included when Joly visited in August. That visit gave us our first taste of what the initial agreement might look like. It was a small glimpse, a teaser of what everyone hoped for. The full document provides a far more comprehensive and detailed look at what both parties are seeking. And while security is not the only focus, it is by far the most detailed section.

The agreement tries to be broad, capturing as many potential avenues of cooperation as possible. It covers operations, joint procurement, cooperation agreements, collaborative capability development, personnel exchanges, innovation cooperation, research and development, and testing and evaluation agreements. Many of these may seem general, as if they were listed simply to cover all bases.

However, again, this is very similar to what we saw with Korea. That began as a general agreement which later expanded into areas such as maritime training cooperation, information exchanges, roadshows, research and development collaboration, and industrial agreements.

It is encouraging to see many of these items listed. It means they are being discussed and worked on. It shows a desire to cooperate across these fields. There are mentions of disruptive technologies, artificial intelligence, and quantum research. There are commitments to expanded military and civilian training, as well as increased exercise cooperation, something especially important to Canada as we work on setting up the supplementary reserve.

The current plan for the supplementary reserve draws heavily from countries like Finland and Sweden and how they have modernized their home defence and civil services to prepare for potential conflict. Cooperation in this area is important. The CAF is trying very hard to advance this. You have likely heard the term whole-of-society approach if you have listened to me talk enough. That is not just a phrase. It is a concept, one that can vary depending on who you ask. It is not something you can learn from a single book. It is something constantly evolving as threats, technology, and people change.

Working with like-minded partners is extremely important. It allows us to share best practices, cooperate, and prepare together. It is especially important when working with countries that share similar circumstances, limitations, and climates. That is why the Scandinavian and Northern countries are critical in the current government’s plans.

It is also why I have been very supportive of deepening these relationships. There is a lot Canada can learn from Sweden and Finland, countries that until recently were caught between NATO and Russia. They had to develop their own industries, plans, and whole-of-society approaches while balancing pressures from two major powers.

Another point that may be overlooked is that we committed to an action plan for cooperation. This plan will include conferences, roadshows, government-to-government collaboration, representation at events, and the roadmap for further communication.

I don’t want to sound repetitive, but again, I see a strong parallel with the Korean situation. I say that as someone who has followed these developments for two years. The similarities are unmistakable, and it is very likely that the end result will resemble the relationship we now have with the Republic of Korea.

Both countries have reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and their commitment to collaborating on assistance efforts. This is important and will likely receive less attention due to the focus on Russia and Arctic issues, but it should not be underestimated. Being aligned on support for Ukraine is critical.

Collaborative efforts are always more effective than acting alone. That applies to financial, industrial, and political support. The more countries that coordinate and align their strengths, the better we can collectively help Ukraine in its ongoing struggle against Russia.

Beyond defence, there is a strong emphasis on the Arctic. Canada and Sweden have been deepening their cooperation there for several years. This past summer, the Swedish icebreaker Oden conducted an expedition with CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent to map the Arctic seabed.

I am also happy that the Arctic Council was acknowledged as expected. It remains the best forum for discussing Arctic issues and collaborating among Arctic partners. As the Arctic becomes increasingly important to Canadians, aligning on key issues at the council is essential.

This cooperation allows us to jointly raise issues, collaborate on the council’s future, and approach concerns in a collaborative and coordinated way. That is crucial right now.

I also welcome further conversations on where we can build Arctic and Polar infrastructure together. This may include physical infrastructure such as cables, digital infrastructure like communication systems, cooperation on space-based systems, and even collaboration on icebreaker development.

Speaking of space, I am very happy it is included in the agreement. Many of you know I strongly advocate for developing our space capabilities. It has become a consistent element in recent agreements, and I am glad to see that continued focus.

Much of the scientific cooperation focuses on health issues such as infectious diseases, microbial research, and public health cooperation. I tend not to go into those areas often, as they are outside my expertise, but I acknowledge their importance. Security is not limited to military matters. It includes environmental, societal, and public health issues.

So infectious disease monitoring and cooperation are significant, even if not something I speak about often.

There is a lot in this agreement, but it is designed to be broad and open to many avenues of cooperation. It is meant to serve as a framework to be expanded over time, which is why the action plan is included. That plan sets out meetings and events to further cooperation.

In my view, a lot has been learned over the past two years about how to build and manage these relationships. I think the government has improved at identifying how to approach these agreements and the steps needed to make them work.

I have said this before, but agreements like this, even if not immediately concrete, are vital to the larger process. They are foundational. I know some people find these things boring, and that is usually when I start hyping them up. That is on me. But these agreements are genuinely exciting for me. They are my bread and butter, especially at such a critical time.

Canada is trying to diversify and build new partnerships. Many may hear these announcements and think they are mostly symbolic until more concrete developments appear. But I am impressed with the progress over the past year and a half. I give the current government credit. They have worked hard, pushed agreements forward, and advanced files that sat still for years.

For Sweden in particular, this comes at a pivotal time. As many of you have seen this past week, we are deep into the Gripen and GlobalEye discussions. We have seen companies like Roshel partner with Swedish firms such as Swebor. We saw General Dynamics collaborate with the Swedish-based, though not Swedish-owned, BAE Hägglunds for DAME. Calian is working with Saab and Ericsson.

There has been a lot happening on the Swedish front in Canada. There is clearly a desire to deepen cooperation, not only from Canada seeking Swedish partners, but from Swedish companies seeing Canada as a potential market for expansion.

Even though I have been dismissive of certain efforts in the past, I still believe there is real value in strengthening this relationship. There is a lot Canada can gain from deeper cooperation with Swedish industry. That is why I have long been supportive of closer ties with the Nordic countries.

I believe this is one of the stronger agreements we have signed this year. It is comprehensive, expansive, and covers every reasonable area. It clearly sets out next steps. It is not written as a one-off statement but as the framework for something much larger. What comes next remains to be seen.

However, every journey starts somewhere, and it is clear that both sides have a genuine desire to make this work. This agreement was crafted with care and attention. It is not rushed, nor does it simply check the basic boxes. For that, I can appreciate it.

We can expect more agreements over the next year or two as the government settles on the partners it wants to prioritize. We have seen agreements with the European Union, something I was very happy and supportive of, a new security and defence agreement with the Republic of Korea, and a smaller but meaningful agreement with Indonesia. There have been smaller agreements with countries like the Philippines and Poland, and several general security of information agreements signed this past year. There is progress on many fronts. We will likely see the Canada-ASEAN FTA signed next year and renewed talks on the Canada-MERCOSUR FTA.

Things are improving. Progress is being made. Yes, I would like it to be faster, and I would like to see more. Who wouldn’t? But this is still an acceptable level for me to be content with.