Canadian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson spent three days in London in October “speed dating” in intense, rapid-fire talks with firms to line up critical minerals deals, Goodale said.
“Nothing is off the table here,” he added, noting it “may take a critical minerals framework agreement” between Ottawa and London to ratchet up the speed of investment and deals being done.
The U.K. and Canada have “a supply chain mapping program underway” to pinpoint U.K. demand and match firms with suppliers in Canada, Oliver Richards, head of international critical minerals & mining at the U.K.’s Department for Business and Trade, told the Critical Mineral Association UK’s annual conference early this month. “We want to then target that down to the areas where there’s a common interest and get investment into those projects going.”
Daring on defense
Carney and Starmer vowed to boost both nations’ defense spending and procurement this year. They want to position the Canada-U.K. defense relationship for growth, not just in military operations but also in “industrial collaboration” and defense innovation, according to their June outline for the future relationship.
Canada wants to explore how “we can not just participate, but contribute” to the GCAP project, Goodale said, adding it wouldn’t be a replacement for the U.S.-led fifth-generation F-35 but a “progression.” | Ali Haider/EPA
As part of the package, Canada “is interested” in the sixth-generation fighter jet Global Combat Air Programme the U.K. is building with Italy and Japan to take flight by 2035, Goodale said. “Obviously, no decisions have been taken at this stage,” he added. “But this is something that we are actively engaged in examining in terms of Canada’s future acquisitions.”
Canada wants to explore how “we can not just participate, but contribute” to the GCAP project, Goodale said, adding it wouldn’t be a replacement for the U.S.-led fifth-generation F-35 but a “progression.”