Inuit mobility, family ties drive Canada–Greenland relationship, ambassador says
New consulate in temporary location but fully-functioning
Canada’s new consulate in Greenland is as much about helping Inuit travel throughout their traditional homeland and nurturing relationships as it is about diplomacy and security, says Carolyn Bennett, Canada’s ambassador to Denmark
The consulate, which is temporarily located on the second floor of a building shared with Iceland’s consulate general in Nuuk — Greenland’s capital — was formally opened Feb. 6 by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Gov. Gen. Mary Simon.
Bennett attended the opening ceremony with Virginia Mearns, Canada’s new Arctic ambassador. The opening marks Canada’s first permanent diplomatic presence in Greenland.
“It was a real celebration of family,” Bennett said in a video call from Copenhagen, the Danish capital.
The consulate provides services to Canadians visiting or living in Greenland, according to the Global Affairs Canada website. That includes passport applications and replacements, citizenship documentation and notary certifications.
Canada’s presence in the region has long been welcomed, Bennett said.
In 2024, Greenland came up with a foreign, security and defence strategy that encouraged the establishment of a Canadian consulate in Nuuk, as well as Greenlandic representation in Ottawa.
By the end of 2024, the move was incorporated into Canada’s Arctic foreign policy.
“All of this is coming to fruition in a way that I think Inuit are unbelievably happy about,” Bennett said.
“The first thing is to get [the consulate] up and running,” she said.
“Then it becomes about building relationships with the Greenlandic government, identifying areas of collaboration — whether that’s Inuit mobility, transportation, tourism, or opportunities in health and education.”
Bennett also said Canada is working closely with the Greenlandic government, the Joint Arctic Command, and Canada’s Defence Department and military.
Canada already has a presence at Pituffik Space Base, the northernmost U.S. defence installation. Two Canadians are stationed at the base’s satellite-monitoring facility.
Bennett said discussions are underway about potentially assigning a Canadian Armed Forces liaison officer either in Copenhagen or in Nuuk.
“There’s also real interest in doing joint exercises together and learning from one another,” Bennett said, pointing to Greenlandic interest in the Canadian Rangers program.
U.S. President Donald Trump has recently threatened to acquire Greenland, saying the U.S. needs it for national security reasons, but backed down from that talk in late January.
Bennett said Greenland has indicated it would welcome an additional U.S. security presence, but any expansion would be guided by Greenlandic priorities.
She added that Greenland has been clear about maintaining control over domestic priorities such as tourism and fisheries, while remaining open to outside investment in areas like critical mineral extraction.
Looking ahead, she said the consulate’s success will be measured at the community level.
“Our job internationally is to reinforce what Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said: Greenland speaks for Greenland,” Bennett said.
Located in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada, Nunatsiaq News is dedicated to covering affairs in Nunavut and the Nunavik territory of Quebec since 1973. It has been a partner to ArcticToday and its predecessors since 2016.
