Swedish royals visit Ottawa as nations sign strategic partnership deal

Their visit included high-level meetings with Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, and the signing of a strategic partnership between Canada and Sweden that spans defence, trade, environment, and more.

This partnership aims to create high-paying jobs and strengthen Arctic and Euro-Atlantic collective security as NATO allies.

A press release from the Prime Minister’s Office said that the new Canada-Sweden strategic partnership will advance the countries’ shared ambition to build stronger and more prosperous economies.

"Their visit is a reminder of the strong friendship between our two Arctic nations and the values we share," the release said.

"Deepening our trade relationships with reliable partners will drive growth in Canada with transformational new opportunities for our industries and high-paying careers for our workers.”

Sweden recently joined NATO, breaking their long-standing neutrality in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“As Arctic nations, we share a vital role in addressing the global challenges in our region and keeping it secure,” said Carl XVI Gustaf, as quoted by The Canadian Press.

The Swedish defence firm Saab is weighing whether to begin assembling its Gripen fighter jets in Canada as global demand for the aircraft increases.

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly expressed that they did not secure sufficient industrial benefits from the Lockheed Martin contract and want to see more jobs created in Canada, reported The Canadian Press.

She added that Saab has told the Canadian government its production plans here, which could generate about 10,000 domestic jobs.

Gripen vs. F-35

Canada, in an agreement in 2023 with Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest defence contractor, agreed to buy F-35 stealth fighters to replace the air force’s ageing CF-18 fleet.

The deal calls for an initial batch of 16 aircraft to be delivered between 2026 and 2030, following an open competition in which Saab’s Gripen E finished second.

Last winter, after Trump's administration launched a trade war with Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a review of the F-35 purchase.

That assessment remains underway, even though the government had pledged to complete it by September.

(Reporting by Suman Das)