Canada inks intelligence-sharing deal with Germany amid bid for closer EU ties

Canada has secured a new information-sharing deal with Germany to exchange classified and protected intelligence on both defence and security issues and economic files.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced the deal at a signing ceremony with her German counterpart, Johann Wadepuhl, in Ottawa Friday.

Anand referenced Prime Minister Mark Carney’s pitch for closer ties between Canada and the European Union last week, and said Germany is central to that partnership.

“This agreement will strengthen cooperation on trade, on innovation and on advanced technologies,” Anand said.

“And it’s going to strengthen Canada’s position as a trusted partner in strategic sectors and support economic growth. It’s going to contribute to building a stronger, more competitive Canadian economy.”

While the text of the new General Security of Information Agreement between the two countries was not yet released early Friday afternoon, Anand said it would apply to information shared both by governments and by industry.

Without directly mentioning U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration, Wadepuhl noted that both Canada and Europe are living through “huge changes in the international order.”

“Where old dependencies are turning into new vulnerabilities, it is really important to know whom we can rely on,” Wadepuhl told reporters.

“Germany can rely on Canada and Canada can rely on Germany.”

Canada recently deepened both defence and economic ties with Germany by selecting TKMS for a massive, $80 billion contract to build a fleet of up to 12 new submarines over a rival South Korean bid.

But asked about negotiations between the Canadian government and TKMS on the deal Friday, Anand provided no details. She first handed the question, asked by a reporter from the Canadian Press, over to her German counterpart before saying she’s not involved in the negotiations.

“On the price response to your question, the negotiations are continuing now and they’re not continuing at the level of ministers,” Anand said.

“So our conversation this morning was very much about the implications of the further relationship on defence and security, the importance of that relationship.”