Hi Wesley, love your work but I think you're on target when you ask if you're "splitting hairs".
The CAF is, as usual, terrible at proactive comms. But Operation Noble Defender happens annually at this time of year, and the description of this deployment sounds exactly like that.
Gov't officials also talked about the fact that CF-18s were going to be in Greenland for already planned operations when Europe started openly discussing sending forces to Greenland a week, or so, ago. The NORAD post isn't the first public mention of this and every indication is that it's long-planned.
Whether we should have *cancelled* our participation is a separate question. But unless Denmark asks (and I assume they didn't), I think the answer to that is no. They need to be the ones making choices around actions that may create a response from Washington.
Agree with you on this. Do not give Trump an excuse to claim that Canada won't hold up its NORAD obligations. That just supports the "only U.S.can protect Greenland" b.s.
I understand your points, Policy Hawk. I recall the adage “ The appearance of an impropriety is an impropriety itself”. We should cancel our participation in this exercise.
I don't think I like that adage at all. It appears to imply that one should avoid doing the right thing if some might misinterpret it as wrong or, the corollary, we should do the wrong thing if it appears right.
This is a plausible interpretation, but I would be much more comfortable if Kearney would come out and firmly place Canada on Denmark's side. There's a monk debate YouTube video in which Andrew coin discusses this issue tonight. He nails it. "If we want to have allies, we have to be an ally."
Prior apologies to anyone offended, but can we at least keep Carney's statements factual?
[Mark Carney has repeatedly emphasized Canada’s support for NATO and the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, calling U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland a concerning escalation. Speaking in Doha, Qatar, and on social media, Carney stated that “the future of Greenland is for Greenland and Denmark alone to determine” and affirmed that NATO’s collective defense obligations under Article 5 and Article 2 remain fully in effect.
He stressed that the security of the Arctic—NATO’s northern and western flanks—is essential and that Canada strongly believes the best way to secure the region is by working together within NATO. Carney confirmed he has spoken with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European allies to enhance the security umbrella over the Arctic, and Canada is considering sending troops to Greenland for joint NATO military exercises as a show of solidarity.
Carney also highlighted that Canada is significantly increasing Arctic security, including strengthening military presence and investing in critical infrastructure, while reiterating that sovereignty and territorial integrity are inviolable, regardless of geographic location. ]
- Brave AI search result for "mark carney statement nato greenland"..
I saw Wesley's comments on (CBC or CTV?) this evening, I watch and read a lot internationally, so I forget which.
Carney has been mentioned *very favourably* by a number of noted international persons in regard to this situation. He's walking a tightrope, and many of the EU allies know this. You don't lay your winning cards on the table until it's time to play them. There will be something in the next few days.
The missing paper trail is the biggest red flag here. You noted that this mission isn't on the DND website. I checked the government's official "Current Operations" list too. It is supposed to track every major military deployment. If this was truly "long-planned," it would likely appear in the planning reports the military sends to Parliament. When a mission only exists in a tweet, it bypasses the usual checks and balances. We need the Defence Committee to force the real timeline into the record. That group of MPs has the power to demand the internal emails.
What do you make of the pre-deployment orders for infantry battalions from the 11th Airborne (Arctic) Division? They were nominally to send to Minnesota, which makes no sense. Aggressive signalling or poor cover?
Yeah, I've been following this. Add to your points that this is the only US battalion trained and equipped to fight in places like...ta da...Greenland. This is a developing story, likely to be a lot larger...
Not wishing to play the 'GI Joe Macho Game' on this, but just as the US Marines are often decimated in war-games by the French Foreign Legion, so too would the US Arctic forces to the Scans.
If I were to judge Trump on the strength of his character, I would say that any incursion would take place while he is in Davos so that he can prove that he is King of the World and will govern such world through his never to be exceeded Board of Peace. Too bad he didn't explain to Carney about the $1 billion entrance fee. This is where we are at, I fear, and not going to get better until some gears of the US constitution start engaging.
Half asleep still, I didn't even consider if others need a subscription or not to read this. Rep;ly if you can't access, I will quote needed sections or provide a gift link...whoa, I can post a gift link.
And here's the pay-dirt relevant to this forum's surmise:
[...]
[Trump also shared digitally altered images that illustrated his expansionist designs, including one that portrayed European leaders gathered in the Oval Office around a map with the American flag covering Greenland, Canada and Venezuela.]
I think you are filling the information vacuum with speculation. We have no confirmation of exactly which of the two countries are putting planes into Greenland, only a vague reference to US bases. Let's not call for action of any kind, until we have verification beyond a public relations puece that's deliberately non-specific, please.
Note the 'all caps' letters, first I've ever seen in the Globe, obviously a 'Trump mime'. The gloves are off, folks, but already, along with the EU/UK press, I get the distinct whiff that this is a coordinated campaign to get the US to depose Trump.
Maybe Carney is your whipping boy, for the sake of his playing a coy game. It's not just PP so willing to 'jump to concussions'.
UK Telegraph (reactionary Con rag that used to be a 'journal of record' decades ago), but like the Post Media in Canada, even they 'get it' on Trump.
But look how they (and all other UK media) lambaste Starmer, and rightly so. Many Brits are wont to state: "Look how the Cdns with Carney stand up to the Yanks. Why can't we?"
I had posted this a day ago in this very forum: (note the date of the article, Jan 14)
‘Canada is right in the middle’: What Trump’s Greenland threats mean for Canada
By
Heather Wright
CTV
Published: January 14, 2026 at 6:53PM EST
[...]
[As Danish and Greenlandic leaders urge the United States to end its threats to annex the territory, France and Germany plan to send troops to the territory at the request of Denmark. Canada also has troops in Greenland, but the Ministry of Defence says Canadian Forces members are participating in a previously planned training exercise that takes place every year in Greenland, not because of the ongoing threats.]
I strongly disagree with those here who suggest that to cancel the Canadian component of a NORAD exercise at this time would cause problems for our European NATO allies.
The Prime Minister and his Cabinet need to kick the behinds of the officials at DND who are so tin-eared as to NOT see this in the larger context of Trump’s outrageous betrayal of ALL his NATO allies (including Canada).
DND could use a serious review.
This should include the firing of the officials at DND who still believe that their “good working level relationships” with US counterparts will insulate us from the serious threat that Donald Trump’s United States now poses to Canada.
Such thinking reflects a shocking level of weak-minded insularity.
Hi Wesley, NORAD does do operations in Greenland. Here is a link from last year’s. https://www.norad.mil/Newsroom/Press-Releases/Article/4077354/norad-conducts-operation-noble-defender-in-pituffik-greenland/ These are conducted with permission of Denmark and Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). NORAD has a global area of operations - not an area of responsibility. It is a really important command - so far staying below the political fray. Similar to most government operations, communication seems to be the first casualty of cuts/overload etc. I would suggest the lack of notice is not nefarious. NORAD needs help with communications (especially in an Arctic context - they need to be on Facebook, not just a website) There are challenges for NORAD to be sure and I am not giving it a blanket pass, but the functional logic that required its creation still holds. I am hoping politics doesn’t override logic.
Shirreff is very well respected and authoritative on military subjects:
Wikipedia:
[...]
[In 2016, Shirreff published a book entitled 2017: War with Russia: An Urgent Warning from Senior Military Command. The part-fictional book suggests that Russia could easily invade the Baltic States, that war between Russia and NATO would be possible, and implies strongly that Shirreff finds military high command and government incapable of creating a suitable response.[31] It also alleges that former Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, tried to court-martial him when he spoke up on British defence cuts.[32][33][34]
Shirreff's commentaries on foreign militaries, such as his assessment on the strategic weaknesses of Russia's armed forces, have been distributed by news agencies such as Times Radio.[35] ]
Put European And Canadian Troops In Greenland To Deter US
Former Nato Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Sir Richard Shirreff tells TimesRadio that Europe and Canada should "call the bluff" and put troops into Greenland to deter "any aggression, whether Russian, Chinese, or indeed, American".
Hi Wesley, love your work but I think you're on target when you ask if you're "splitting hairs".
The CAF is, as usual, terrible at proactive comms. But Operation Noble Defender happens annually at this time of year, and the description of this deployment sounds exactly like that.
Gov't officials also talked about the fact that CF-18s were going to be in Greenland for already planned operations when Europe started openly discussing sending forces to Greenland a week, or so, ago. The NORAD post isn't the first public mention of this and every indication is that it's long-planned.
Whether we should have *cancelled* our participation is a separate question. But unless Denmark asks (and I assume they didn't), I think the answer to that is no. They need to be the ones making choices around actions that may create a response from Washington.
Agree with you on this. Do not give Trump an excuse to claim that Canada won't hold up its NORAD obligations. That just supports the "only U.S.can protect Greenland" b.s.
Thanks for the info. I sure don’t want Carney joining Trump to take over Greenland.
I don’t either! I don’t even want Canada to be mentioned in the same breath!
I understand your points, Policy Hawk. I recall the adage “ The appearance of an impropriety is an impropriety itself”. We should cancel our participation in this exercise.
Are we being a good ally to Denmark & Greenland, if we escalate this issue with America at a time and in a way that they don't want us to?
That seems like an impropriety in fact, not just appearance, to me.
I see your point, we’re stuck in a political whirlpool. I cannot imagine how Carney works around this.
I don't think I like that adage at all. It appears to imply that one should avoid doing the right thing if some might misinterpret it as wrong or, the corollary, we should do the wrong thing if it appears right.
This is a plausible interpretation, but I would be much more comfortable if Kearney would come out and firmly place Canada on Denmark's side. There's a monk debate YouTube video in which Andrew coin discusses this issue tonight. He nails it. "If we want to have allies, we have to be an ally."
Will do it from Canada when he returns from Davos
*Carney, of course. (Autocorrect)
And "Coyne". It's a Munk Debate. I've half watched it, still up on my taskbar.
https://youtu.be/fkj9DpEN_HI
And Carney *has* made some definitive statements. I've quoted them elsewhere in this string. He's yet to play his winning cards. Give it time.
Prior apologies to anyone offended, but can we at least keep Carney's statements factual?
[Mark Carney has repeatedly emphasized Canada’s support for NATO and the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, calling U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland a concerning escalation. Speaking in Doha, Qatar, and on social media, Carney stated that “the future of Greenland is for Greenland and Denmark alone to determine” and affirmed that NATO’s collective defense obligations under Article 5 and Article 2 remain fully in effect.
He stressed that the security of the Arctic—NATO’s northern and western flanks—is essential and that Canada strongly believes the best way to secure the region is by working together within NATO. Carney confirmed he has spoken with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European allies to enhance the security umbrella over the Arctic, and Canada is considering sending troops to Greenland for joint NATO military exercises as a show of solidarity.
Carney also highlighted that Canada is significantly increasing Arctic security, including strengthening military presence and investing in critical infrastructure, while reiterating that sovereignty and territorial integrity are inviolable, regardless of geographic location. ]
- Brave AI search result for "mark carney statement nato greenland"..
I saw Wesley's comments on (CBC or CTV?) this evening, I watch and read a lot internationally, so I forget which.
Carney has been mentioned *very favourably* by a number of noted international persons in regard to this situation. He's walking a tightrope, and many of the EU allies know this. You don't lay your winning cards on the table until it's time to play them. There will be something in the next few days.
Carney has already placed Canada on Denmark’s side.
Two high quality journalism interviews w/ Alexandre Stubb (Finnish PM) by the WashPost's Ignatius on YouTube.
Greenland discussed at length w/ Canada being integral to the discussion:
(Stubb is and has always been a master of diplomacy. One needs to read behind the lines, and Stubb usually subtly alerts you when to)
Finnish president on Trump, Greenland and the war in Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cemVVfSNGDo&t=3s&pp=ygVBd2FzaGluZ3RvbiBwb3N0IERhdmlkIElnbmF0aXVzICBGaW5uaXNoIFByZXNpZGVudCBBbGV4YW5kZXIgU3R1YmI%3D
Finnish president on Trump's tariff threats over Greenland
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YaLqYsrBnHc
The missing paper trail is the biggest red flag here. You noted that this mission isn't on the DND website. I checked the government's official "Current Operations" list too. It is supposed to track every major military deployment. If this was truly "long-planned," it would likely appear in the planning reports the military sends to Parliament. When a mission only exists in a tweet, it bypasses the usual checks and balances. We need the Defence Committee to force the real timeline into the record. That group of MPs has the power to demand the internal emails.
What do you make of the pre-deployment orders for infantry battalions from the 11th Airborne (Arctic) Division? They were nominally to send to Minnesota, which makes no sense. Aggressive signalling or poor cover?
Yeah, I've been following this. Add to your points that this is the only US battalion trained and equipped to fight in places like...ta da...Greenland. This is a developing story, likely to be a lot larger...
Not wishing to play the 'GI Joe Macho Game' on this, but just as the US Marines are often decimated in war-games by the French Foreign Legion, so too would the US Arctic forces to the Scans.
Abort, aborrt, abort. Malcom Nance can be extreme, but this fits nicely. Can't believe I'm now a conspiracy dude.
https://x.com/i/status/2013221091053797474
Excellent link on the story. It is being reported elsewhere, and I've never been a fan on 'X', but this is succinct and on target.
If I were to judge Trump on the strength of his character, I would say that any incursion would take place while he is in Davos so that he can prove that he is King of the World and will govern such world through his never to be exceeded Board of Peace. Too bad he didn't explain to Carney about the $1 billion entrance fee. This is where we are at, I fear, and not going to get better until some gears of the US constitution start engaging.
I've yet to read it, still waking up, need caffeine, but I suspect this is germane to your points:
Trump jabs Europeans over Greenland as Davos becomes emergency summit
In social media posts before the meetings, the president bashed the U.K. and shared what appeared to be private messages from European officials.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/01/20/trump-davos-greenland-europe-denmark/?utm_campaign=wp_todays_headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F46816f5%2F696f603763c1b1156958fdb5%2F627fa0626f02666fddefb3fc%2F14%2F66%2F696f603763c1b1156958fdb5
Half asleep still, I didn't even consider if others need a subscription or not to read this. Rep;ly if you can't access, I will quote needed sections or provide a gift link...whoa, I can post a gift link.
And here's the pay-dirt relevant to this forum's surmise:
[...]
[Trump also shared digitally altered images that illustrated his expansionist designs, including one that portrayed European leaders gathered in the Oval Office around a map with the American flag covering Greenland, Canada and Venezuela.]
[...]
Gift link:
https://wapo.st/4jNTkCL
I think you are filling the information vacuum with speculation. We have no confirmation of exactly which of the two countries are putting planes into Greenland, only a vague reference to US bases. Let's not call for action of any kind, until we have verification beyond a public relations puece that's deliberately non-specific, please.
This is disturbing news and thank you for the information. The PM must know and act immediately.
I've been reading the int'l press before I've even finished my morning caffeine fix, figured I'd best check the Globe.
Whoa!
MILITARY MODELS CANADIAN RESPONSE TO HYPOTHETICAL AMERICAN INVASION
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-military-models-canadian-response-to-hypothetical-american-invasion/
Note the 'all caps' letters, first I've ever seen in the Globe, obviously a 'Trump mime'. The gloves are off, folks, but already, along with the EU/UK press, I get the distinct whiff that this is a coordinated campaign to get the US to depose Trump.
I need more caffeine...
Maybe Carney is your whipping boy, for the sake of his playing a coy game. It's not just PP so willing to 'jump to concussions'.
UK Telegraph (reactionary Con rag that used to be a 'journal of record' decades ago), but like the Post Media in Canada, even they 'get it' on Trump.
But look how they (and all other UK media) lambaste Starmer, and rightly so. Many Brits are wont to state: "Look how the Cdns with Carney stand up to the Yanks. Why can't we?"
https://youtu.be/4BgCXB-Gil4
I had posted this a day ago in this very forum: (note the date of the article, Jan 14)
‘Canada is right in the middle’: What Trump’s Greenland threats mean for Canada
By
Heather Wright
CTV
Published: January 14, 2026 at 6:53PM EST
[...]
[As Danish and Greenlandic leaders urge the United States to end its threats to annex the territory, France and Germany plan to send troops to the territory at the request of Denmark. Canada also has troops in Greenland, but the Ministry of Defence says Canadian Forces members are participating in a previously planned training exercise that takes place every year in Greenland, not because of the ongoing threats.]
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/canada-is-right-in-the-middle-what-trumps-greenland-threats-mean-for-canada/
“Good Working Level Relationships” break down when your Commander in Chief is a huge dork.
I strongly disagree with those here who suggest that to cancel the Canadian component of a NORAD exercise at this time would cause problems for our European NATO allies.
The Prime Minister and his Cabinet need to kick the behinds of the officials at DND who are so tin-eared as to NOT see this in the larger context of Trump’s outrageous betrayal of ALL his NATO allies (including Canada).
DND could use a serious review.
This should include the firing of the officials at DND who still believe that their “good working level relationships” with US counterparts will insulate us from the serious threat that Donald Trump’s United States now poses to Canada.
Such thinking reflects a shocking level of weak-minded insularity.
Hi Wesley, NORAD does do operations in Greenland. Here is a link from last year’s. https://www.norad.mil/Newsroom/Press-Releases/Article/4077354/norad-conducts-operation-noble-defender-in-pituffik-greenland/ These are conducted with permission of Denmark and Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland). NORAD has a global area of operations - not an area of responsibility. It is a really important command - so far staying below the political fray. Similar to most government operations, communication seems to be the first casualty of cuts/overload etc. I would suggest the lack of notice is not nefarious. NORAD needs help with communications (especially in an Arctic context - they need to be on Facebook, not just a website) There are challenges for NORAD to be sure and I am not giving it a blanket pass, but the functional logic that required its creation still holds. I am hoping politics doesn’t override logic.
Shirreff is very well respected and authoritative on military subjects:
Wikipedia:
[...]
[In 2016, Shirreff published a book entitled 2017: War with Russia: An Urgent Warning from Senior Military Command. The part-fictional book suggests that Russia could easily invade the Baltic States, that war between Russia and NATO would be possible, and implies strongly that Shirreff finds military high command and government incapable of creating a suitable response.[31] It also alleges that former Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, tried to court-martial him when he spoke up on British defence cuts.[32][33][34]
Shirreff's commentaries on foreign militaries, such as his assessment on the strategic weaknesses of Russia's armed forces, have been distributed by news agencies such as Times Radio.[35] ]
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Shirreff
His appearance today on Times Radio:
Put European And Canadian Troops In Greenland To Deter US
Former Nato Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Sir Richard Shirreff tells TimesRadio that Europe and Canada should "call the bluff" and put troops into Greenland to deter "any aggression, whether Russian, Chinese, or indeed, American".
https://youtu.be/nxoNScaEKCA
Absolutely profound, a 'must watch'.