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The governments of Canada and France are opening new consulates in Nuuk, capital of Greenland, the Danish autonomous territory that has become a flashpoint in international relations after U.S. President Donald Trump said it should be part of the United States.
Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, and Whit Fraser, her husband, were due to arrive early Friday afternoon local time at Nuuk International Airport. Planned events include a meeting with Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the Prime Minister of Greenland; an official opening and flag-raising ceremony at the new Consulate General of Canada; and a reception at the nearby Hans Egede Hotel to mark Canada’s diplomatic presence in Greenland.
“The visit will focus on reinforcing the close historic and cultural bonds between Inuit in Canada and Greenland,” according to a statement from the Governor General’s office. “The visit will further strengthen Canada’s leadership in circumpolar collaboration by engaging the Prime Minister of Greenland, as well as other leaders, in discussions on shared approaches to Arctic sovereignty and governance; and by elevating Inuit voices in discussions on the future of Arctic communities.”
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told National Post: “Honorary Consuls have represented Canada in Greenland over the past few decades,” adding: “Julie Crôteau, Acting Head of Consular Post and a career diplomat with expertise in Arctic issues, has been stationed in Nuuk since November 2025.”
The consulate in Nuuk falls under the leadership of Canada’s Ambassador to Denmark, Carolyn Bennett.
“Ambassador Bennett is based in Copenhagen and will continue to make regular visits to Nuuk, Greenland, as part of her duties,” the spokesperson said. “A Consul will be appointed in due course.”
Orla Joelsen, a Greenland resident, posted to X on Thursday a video of an Inuit delegation from Canada on its way to Nuuk, waving flags of both Canada and Greenland.
20 minutes to landing 🇨🇦🇬🇱 https://t.co/Erz7f0Edyb pic.twitter.com/Pb8dqXVX3F
— Orla Joelsen (@OJoelsen) February 5, 2026
Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Toronto and an expert on Arctic affairs, said Canada’s move has both a symbolic and a practical component to it, despite the seeming oddity of the decision.
“One thing that strikes me is the whole island of Greenland only has about 55,000 people,” he told National Post. “There are a lot of cities in Denmark that have many more people than 55,000 but Canada doesn’t have any consulates in any of them. It has an embassy in Copenhagen. So it raises the question: Well, why do you set up a consulate in a smaller place?”
He added: “There are geographic and ethno-cultural reasons, because the United Nations and Canada have in the last three or four decades really heightened the political and legal status of indigenous peoples, which includes Inuit. This fits with that agenda as well.”
Simon, who is Inuk on her mother’s side, will be only the second governor general to visit the island; the first was Edward Schreyer in 1982.
“I thought it was very smart having Mary Simon go because she herself is of Inuit background,” said Wiseman. “She’s also been the ambassador to Denmark (from 1999 to 2002), has that diplomatic experience and is very familiar with Danish politics, and also all that experience she has as an Inuit leader. So a whole host of things came around, but the big igniting factor, the catalyzing factor, was Donald Trump, as he is in so many things.”
He said that studying climate change in the Far North is another reason Canada may want to increase its presence there.
“The average temperature in Nuuk for the month of January was six degrees Celsius higher than the average temperature in Toronto,” he said. “Two weeks ago they had rain. When did we last have rain in Toronto?”
As of Feb. 6, Toronto has had 20 consecutive days of below-freezing temperatures , with no change forecast until at least Feb. 17.
And beyond consular services like visas and passports, Canada’s newest consulate can also serve as a hub for increased trade.
“What’s become more important in Canadian foreign policy and global affairs is trade,” Wiseman said. “So you’re going to look for maybe commercial connections, so that Inuit businesses in Canada have greater opportunities in Greenland, or Canadian businesses generally.”
As to the French connection, Wiseman said: “I’m not an authority on French politics, but I do follow world politics.” He noted that when Trump started taking about imposing tariffs on countries that didn’t side with his views on Greenland, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered one of the strongest rebukes .
“Macron took the hardest line right off the bat, harder than (Mark) Carney, harder than anybody else, and he just said: Nope. Basically he told Trump to shove it.”
Still, Wiseman doesn’t think France would have established its consulate if not for Trump. Canada’s, on the other hand, “makes more sense because of the Inuit connection and because of the Arctic connection, neither of which apply to France.”
On Saturday, Simon is scheduled to visit with crew members aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Jean Goodwill, a tug/supply vessel currently docked at Nuuk.
She will also attend a meeting with the Inuit Circumpolar Conference Greenland to discuss long-standing Inuit ties between the two territories, and the importance of Indigenous rights, involvement and views in Arctic policy. And she will meet with Denmark’s Arctic Council Chairship team to discuss the continued importance of circumpolar co-operation and the Kingdom’s leadership of the council.
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