Canada had no intention of going nuclear and acquiring its own deterrent, Carney said. And although there is a difference between acquiring your own nuclear weapons and sheltering under someone's deterrent, Carney delivered cautious praise for Macron's initiative to extend the reach of France's arsenal. It's not directly affecting Canada," Carney said, while noting the details of the French plan are still subject to negotiation. In the category of two can play that game, some experts suggest the French nuclear deterrent could be useful in the event the United States further retreats from Europe. Extending the potential line of French nuclear deterrence from Greenland into Canada would be risky, perhaps even calamitous.

Source: CBC News March 21, 2026 14:01 UTC