Today, the Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State (Defence Procurement), announced he is travelling to Norway and Germany, from December 15 to 19, 2025, to advance Canada's defence relationships with key allies and promote defence industrial partnerships that support collective security and resilience.
During this official visit, Secretary of State Fuhr is meeting with senior government and military officials, including State Secretary Marte Gerhardsen of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, Dr. Nils Schmid, Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Ministry of Defence, as well as the heads of both navies.
Secretary of State Fuhr is also participating in site visits and undertaking industry engagement with leading defence organizations in Norway and Germany, including Haakonsvern Naval Base, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Naval Training Centre Eckernförde, TKMS, Rheinmetall (Nordic and Germany), Nammo and Lufthansa Technik. The meetings present an opportunity to discuss strategies for industrial cooperation, innovation and to further integrate Canadian and European defence supply chains.
This visit underscores Canada's commitment to deepening partnerships with allies that share our priorities and values. By working closely with Norway and Germany, countries renowned for their defence expertise and innovation, Canada is fostering relationships that will create more opportunities for Canadian industry to contribute to our collective security and resilience in an increasingly complex global environment.
The Secretary of State's schedule also highlights Canada's new Defence Investment Agency (DIA), which is accelerating and streamlining defence procurements, supporting Canadian industry, and fostering collaboration with international partners. The DIA's mandate includes engaging industry earlier in the procurement process, supporting innovation and aligning procurement strategies with allied nations to deliver new capabilities to the Canadian Armed Forces faster. Through these engagements, Canada is demonstrating leadership in building resilient defence industrial partnerships, supported by the DIA, that strengthen our alliances but also create opportunities for Canadian industry to innovate and compete globally.
