Canada advances bid to join Joint Expeditionary Force

Canada says it has formally applied to join the Joint Expeditionary Force, a 10-country defence partnership focused on northern Europe, the North Atlantic, the Arctic and the Baltic region.

National Defence said Minister David McGuinty took part in the group’s defence ministers’ meeting in Reykjavík on October 2. The meeting included representatives of Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

According to the Canadian readout, participants discussed regional security, readiness and defence cooperation. McGuinty also held bilateral talks with counterparts from Iceland, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Norway.

Canada’s application does not itself make the country a member. The federal release did not provide a decision date or accession timetable.

Source: National Defence, readout published October 2, 2026.