The Canadian consulate officially opens on Friday afternoon, with representatives from several countries attending in Nuuk.
The consulate is housed in the same building as the Icelandic consulate, right next to the Church of Our Saviour. Diplomat Julie Croteau is the acting head of the consulate's work until a permanent consul is appointed.
"We will seek closer cooperation with Greenland on economic development, air transport and citizen-to-citizen ties," said Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand during a brief press conference on Friday afternoon.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs says that she has just met with Naalakkersuisoq Vivian Motzfeldt, and she emphasizes that one of their tasks is to facilitate good relations between Inuit in Canada and Greenland.
The Foreign Minister is also asked whether Canada is sending a signal to Donald Trump by opening the consulate in Nuuk.
Here, the Minister of Foreign Affairs diplomatically responds that Canada cooperates with the United States in a number of areas such as defense and trade, and that the opening is about Canadian foreign policy and not relations with other countries.
Prominent guests
Other Canadian guests in Nuuk are Governor General Mary Simon, Ambassador Carolyn Bennett and Arctic Ambassador Virginia Means.
Governor General Mary Simon herself has an Inuit background and is known for having Inuit rights and cooperation as key issues throughout decades of political work.
As Governor General, Mary Simon currently represents the British monarch, who is formally the head of state of Canada. Both the Governor General and the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs have just returned from a visit to Denmark on Thursday.
Naalakkersuisoq Vivian Motzfeldt (S) and Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (V) are also present at the new consulate.
On Thursday, a plane carrying Inuit from Canada arrived in Nuuk to celebrate the opening of the consulate. The purpose is to show solidarity during the current political pressure from the United States.
Canadian ship arrives in Nuuk
A ship from the Canadian Coast Guard has also arrived in Nuuk for the occasion.
The Canadian consulate has begun work well in advance of Friday's festivities. The formal opening and reception was originally scheduled for November 2025. It was postponed because weather prevented flights to Nuuk that day.
Canada decided to establish a consulate in Greenland as early as 2024. France has since made the same decision. The new French consul has just been appointed and will also have his first day on the job in Nuuk this Friday.
– In addition to the opening of the new Canadian consulate, a number of political discussions will be held on the security situation in the Arctic, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs.
