Canada–Denmark relations

Canada–Denmark relations are the current and historical relations between Canada and Denmark. Canada has an embassy in Copenhagen. Denmark has an embassy in Ottawa and a consulate-general in Toronto.[1][2] Both countries are full members of NATO[3] and the Arctic Council.[4] Relations between the two countries have attracted attention in light of the dispute over Hans Island, which was resolved in 2022.[5]

Canada–Denmark relations
Map indicating locations of Canada and Denmark

Canada
Denmark
Canadian embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.

History

In 1928, the bilateral relations between Canada and Denmark were strengthened, when members of the Canadian National Railways met with Thomas Madsen-Mygdal.[6]

The first treaty between Canada and Denmark was a visa requirements agreement, signed on 22 September and 14 October 1949.[7] Both countries signed an agreement concerning taxes in 1956.[8] Canada and Denmark agreed to cooperate with defence science in 1969.[9] In 1983, a marine environmental, social and economic agreement was signed in Copenhagen.[10]

In 2010, the Denmark–USA/Canada Program was launched. The programme aims the internationalization of Danish education programmes.[11]

Hans Island
Main article: Hans Island

Hans Island is a small, uninhabited barren knoll measuring 1.3 km2 (0.5 sq mi), located in the centre of the Kennedy Channel of Nares Strait. The island is claimed by both Canada and Greenland with the Kingdom of Denmark.[12] In 1973 Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark ratified a treaty defining the border in the area. The treaty did not define the border at Hans Island as no agreement was made on this. In 1984, Tom Høyem, the Danish Minister for Greenland, raised the Danish flag on the island.[13] On 25 July 2005, Canadian Defence Minister Bill Graham visited the island, sparking anger in Denmark. The Government of Denmark sent a letter of protest to Canada.[13] Canada also sent two warships in 2005 to Hans Island, HMCS Shawinigan and HMCS Glace Bay.[14]

On 19 September 2009, both governments put in place a process to end the dispute.

As friendly countries, of course, it is our shared objective that we resolve this issue – that we put this issue behind us… "We now have a process – a process in which the officials will be working together, gathering all of the relative information and trying to find a way forward to do this…

— Pierre Pettigrew[15]

In January 2011, both countries were close to a resolution over the island.[5] However, the border agreement signed in November 2012 did not contain a solution to the dispute.

On 10 June 2022, Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail reported that the Canadian and Danish governments had settled on a border across the island, dividing it between the Canadian territory of Nunavut and the Danish constituent country of Greenland, to be formally unveiled on 14 June 2022.[16]

High level visits
See also: List of Prime Ministers of Greenland

Crown Princess Margrethe (later Queen of Denmark) and her husband Prince Henrik visited Canada in September 1967.[17] Queen Margrethe also visited Canada in 1991.[18] Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary visited Ottawa and Toronto in 2014.[19] When Prince Joachim married Marie they spent their honeymoon in Canada. The first four days in Tofino, Vancouver Island and the rest in Montreal.

Expatriates

Danes in Canada

About 200,000 people in Canada are of Danish origin or birth. They mostly live in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

New Denmark is a Canadian rural community in Victoria County, New Brunswick. The community derives its name from several Danish settlers who inhabited the area in 1872, eventually forming the largest and what would become the oldest Danish community in Canada; the Danish influence has diminished somewhat in recent decades due to out-migration.[20]

See also

References
  1. Government of Canada. "Canadian embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Canada). Archived from the original on 29 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  2. Government of Denmark. "Danish embassy in Ottawa, Canada". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Denmark). Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  3. NATO. "NATO — Member countries". NATO. NATO. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  4. Arctic Council. "Member states of the Arctic Council". Arctic Council. Arctic Council. Archived from the original on 2011-04-04. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  5. "Canada and Denmark in Hans Island negotiations". Menas Borders. 17 January 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-03-17. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  6. "Farmers meet Danish minister". The Morning Leader. 3 February 1928: 18. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. United Nations (1949). "Exchange of notes constituting an agreement between Denmark and Canada modifying the visa requirements..." (PDF). United Nations Treaty Series: 3. Retrieved 1 April 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. Parliament of Canada (1956). Debates: official report (Hansard). Pennsylvania State University. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  9. Treaty series: Recueil des traités 681–683. University of Michigan: United Nations Treaty Series. 1969. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  10. "Agreement for cooperation relating to the marine environment" (PDF). 1983. Retrieved 1 April 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. "The Denmark-USA/Canada Program". Styrelsen for international uddannelse. 8 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  12. Peter R. Dawes (1985). "Hans Ø" (in Danish): 13. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. BBC News (25 July 2005). "Canada island visit angers Danes". BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 May 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  14. "Canada and Denmark at the brink of war". The Uncoverer. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  15. "Canada, Denmark agree to Hans Island process". CTV News. 19 September 2005. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  16. Chase, Steven (2022-06-10). "Canada and Denmark reach settlement over disputed Arctic island, sources say". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-06-12.
  17. "Young Danish Royal Couple Recalls Bonds with Canada". Edmonton Journal. p. 44. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  18. "Kongehuset debuterer i Mexico". Jyllandsposten (in Danish). 4 February 2008. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  19. "Danish Crown Prince Couple to Visit Canada" (PDF). Denmark in Canada. Embassy of Denmark, Canada. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  20. "New Denmark, New Brunswick: new approaches in the study of Danish migration to Canada, 1872-1901". Amicus. Library and Archives Canada. 2005. ISBN 0-494-06766-7. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
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