The prime ministers of Canada and Nordic countries have agreed to continue working to deepen economic ties as technology and international trade are increasingly used as a “coercive tool,” they said in a joint statement.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is concluding his time in Norway meeting with that country’s prime minister, along with the leaders of Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Finland.

“At a time characterized by heightened geopolitical tension, war and a multitude of crises, we are united in the view that international co-operation, based on international law, shared values and interests, remains the best way to strengthen our common security and prosperity,” reads a joint statement from the leaders after the meeting.

The leaders discussed the need to expand trade and investment ties, as like-minded countries have been upended in recent years in part due to U.S. tariffs and threats to annex Greenland.

Greenland is a self-governing Danish territory.

During a press conference after the meeting, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the old world order is gone and likely not coming back.

“So, we have to build something new and it has to be a world order that is built on the values that we represent,” Frederiksen said.

When asked if the leaders believe threats to Greenland’s sovereignty are over, Carney said Canada and the Nordic nations can work to defend their sovereignty by working together on shared defence, especially in the Arctic, and by deepening economic collaboration

Frederiksen did not respond to that question.

The leaders were asked if they were prepared to stand up to defend Greenland and Denmark if another NATO ally tried to seize the territory — a reference to U.S. statements on the need to take over the island for national security purposes.

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.

Carney said territorial sovereignty must be upheld and the future of Greenland is up to its people and Denmark.

“We will back that with measures as necessary, as a partner,” Carney said.

“The European Union, and others, have been clear about these fundamental principles and the principle of solidarity has helped to create the space which always should have been there, to be clear, to develop a better security umbrella in the Arctic … So, we’re clear on where we stand and we will continue to stand with Denmark and Greenland.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte agreed to a framework for a future deal on Arctic security in January.

Trump has said that it would allow “total access” to Greenland. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said Rutte did not propose any “compromise to sovereignty” in discussions with Trump.

The leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have said that the island’s sovereignty is non-negotiable.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and the other leaders said they also stand with Greenland.

1:23
Carney says Canada ‘fully prepared’ to defend the Arctic in response to Greenland question

“It is for basic principles of international law, national sovereignty and territorial integrity, which is not simply language in schoolbooks. This is hardcore realities for how we preserve freedom, democracy,” Store said.

These hardcore realities include increasing military threats in the Arctic. Carney said that Russia presents the biggest physical security threat, but there are more “layered” threats.

NATO is currently operating its biennial Cold Response training exercises, where 32,000 troops from 14 nations, including the U.S., are conducting a host of military exercises in northern Norway and Finland.

“We need to understand that Russia is our biggest threat, and it will remain a threat for Nordic, Arctic countries. And that’s why we have to go forward to strengthen Arctic security together,” Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said.

Carney was asked about the status of a joint German-Norwegian bid to supply Canada with submarines, along with the possibility of purchasing Swedish Saab fighter jets, and if that was discussed during the meeting.

Carney said the submarine bids — Korean-based Hanwha is the other competitor — are currently being reviewed and he stressed it is an independent process that he will not get involved in.

Store said he respects the Canadian procurement process.

The joint statement from the six leaders shares a commitment to continue working on Arctic security, deepening trade and investment ties, plus building “prosperous and green economies.”

Before the meeting with Nordic leaders, Carney met with Norway’s finance minister and the CEO of Norges Bank.

Carney is set to leave Norway on Sunday for London, where he is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday.

It will be the seventh meeting between the two leaders in just over a year.

Carney is also scheduled to meet with King Charles.

After that, the prime minister will remain in Europe on vacation while the rest of the delegation heads back to Canada on Monday. He stressed Thursday that he will remain in close contact with staff throughout his time off.

—with files from The Associated Press

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Mark Carney will have an audience with King Charles III as a part of an upcoming visit to the United Kingdom, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The meeting, set for the afternoon of March 16, will be the third time Carney and the King have meet since Carney became prime minister a year ago.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.

The first was an audience in London in March of 2025, followed by Charles’ visit to Canada in May of last year.

During his trip to Canada, King Charles delivered the throne speech in Parliament, the first time a British monarch has done so in decades. The moment was rife with symbolism amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada and attacks on its sovereignty.

King Charles meet with Canadian Indigenous leaders on Wednesday, where the grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations said the King “expressed his concern” over potential Alberta separation.

Carney will also meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer while in London, a part of his latest international trip to both Norway and the U.K.

—With files from Global’s Sean Boynton and the Canadian Press

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Experts say the war in Iran is driving up the cost of jet fuel, which will drive up the cost of flying.

“I think what you’re seeing happening now is a volatility in jet fuel that hasn’t been seen in years,” John Gradek, a former Air Canada executive and McGill University faculty lecturer in aviation management, told Global News.

“I think that the volatility starts with the price of oil, where it was up to 110 [a barrel] last week, or earlier this week, down to 89 yesterday and up to 98 again today. So it’s bouncing up and down. The impact of that on jet fuel is significant.”

Gradek said that the price of jet fuel is up about 30 per cent and the cost of fuel represents about 30 per cent of an airline’s operating costs.

“The airline’s margins that you typically have is about a three or four per cent margin on their sales,” he said. “So right now, with the cost of the fuel as we see it, they’re losing money on every flight. So what’s happening is that the airlines are trying, are scrambling to figure out how much of a fuel surcharge to put in.”

Gradek said Air Transat has already started adding a fuel surcharge to tickets and British Airways and Qantas are introducing some on Thursday.

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.

“The world is starting to recognize that jet fuel is more expensive and fares are going up,” he said.

1:53
Canada’s role in historic emergency oil reserve release

Gradek said that other airlines are trying to figure out what to do to keep costs manageable, but also profitable.

He said that WestJet made a statement on Wednesday that there is a significant cost increase in fuel, while Air Canada and Porter are contemplating what to do.

“At what level do you set your surcharge based on the price of oil?” he said.

“And the price of oil is bouncing all over the place. So it is a moving target for them to, in fact, set a fuel surcharge on. But the longer they wait, the more money they lose. So they’ve really got to come to grips with this pretty quickly.”

Wayne Smith, a professor and director of the Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Research, said fuel surcharges are inevitable at this point.

“We’ve seen the fuel price basically go from the equivalent of about 76 cents a litre to over $1.30 a litre for them just from December till now,” he said.

“People don’t realize that fuel is a big, big part of an airline. So let me just give you a quick example here. A Boeing 777, just to take off, burns 2,200 litres of fuel. So if you’re looking at that, that’s $2,800, almost $2 900, just to take off and fuel alone. So that’s a big part.”

Smith said airlines are trying to keep their prices down, but travellers can expect to see a fuel surcharge on their bill.

“If you don’t see it in the price, you’ll see it in the surcharge afterwards,” he added.

Ashley Harold, a travel consultant with the Flight Centre Travel Group, told Global News that travellers will see a wide range of prices, depending on the destination, timing and competition on a route.

“At the moment, we’re seeing Canadians having more of a focus on the travel plans themselves and where their dollar can be stretched further,” she said.

“That’s what we’re seeing. And for folks that have a particular budget that they’re hoping to stay within, we encourage them to seek out an expert, such as a travel agent, to see where their budget can get them further, where the Canadian dollar stretches further.”

Gradek said that he thinks people will choose to fly within Canada and North America now, but the future is uncertain.

“The surcharges they’re looking for in Canadian traffic is probably somewhere between $50 and $100 one way as a surcharge,” he said.

“Once I get to Europe, probably $100 to $200 one way. And by the time I get to Asia, it’s probably around $300 to $400 one way, so that’s a typical distribution of how these fuel surcharges have been dealt with in the past. So I don’t expect any different actions coming up on this one.”

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

The government of Kuwait has agreed to help Canadians who wish to leave the Gulf state but cannot because their employers will not issue them exit permits, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Thursday.

Global News learned earlier this week that some Canadians wanted to leave the Gulf state after Kuwait came under attack from Iranian missiles and drones.

But Canadians employed there — like all foreigners who work for Kuwaiti firms — must get an exit permit from their employer.

And some employers were either ignoring or denying requests Canadians made to their employers.

“The situation has turned into a hostage-like one,” said one of those Canadians trapped in Kuwait earlier this week. Global News agreed not to identify the individual who was worried about reprisals by their employer. “Our e-mails are being ignored and issues are not being addressed.”

3:43
‘One step at a time,’ Anand asked if Canada plans to call for ceasefire in Iran

Kuwait has come under fire more than half-a-dozen times since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

Get daily National news

Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.

More than 100 missiles and more than 300 drones have been aimed at Kuwait and some have struck the airport, the port and some office towers. Four have died and nearly 70 have been injured, according to news reports from AFP, CBS, the Wall Street Journal and others.

Global Affairs Canada could not say how may Canadians were unable to get the required exit permits but a department officials said in an e-mailed statement “it was aware that there are Canadians in Kuwait who want to leave and are currently unable to obtain permission for exit permits from their employers.”

In response to a question from Global News on Thursday, Anand said she had telephoned her Kuwaiti counterpart.

“During times of crisis, diplomacy is a powerful tool,” Anand said Thursday in response to the question.

“I called [Foreign] Minister [Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al Mohammad] Al Sabah on this very issue and asked to expedite the ability of Canadians to leave. He agreed wholeheartedly. And Global Affairs Canada is urgently providing the list of Canadians wishing to leave so that that list can be quickly approved and the Canadians at issue are able to leave.“

1:47
Trump says there’s ‘practically nothing left to target’ in Iran, war will end ‘soon’

Kuwait’s law requiring foreign expatriates to obtain exit permits from employers is a controversial one.

“Kuwait’s exit visa requirement violates international human rights law,” Human Rights Watch researcher Michael Page wrote last July as Kuwait was updating its exit permit law.

“Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country,” Page wrote. “”Restrictions can only be applied on a case-by-case basis for a legitimate and proportionate purpose, such as during a criminal investigation. “

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Defence Minister David McGuinty said Monday that Canada “will not be participating” in the war in Iran after Prime Minister Mark Carney last week did not rule out the possibility of Canadian military involvement.

Speaking at an unrelated media event in Ottawa, McGuinty added that Canada has not yet decided to join its NATO allies in offering assistance to Persian Gulf nations that have come under attack by Iran.

“Clearly the situation in Iran is extremely serious,” McGuinty told reporters. “It’s one we’ve been watching since the beginning.

“It’s important for Canadians to know that Canada was not consulted before the action undertaken by Israel and the United States. Canada was not asked to comment, Canada has not participated and Canada will not be participating.”

McGuinty’s comment echoed the Prime Minister’s Office summary of a late Sunday meeting of the government’s incident response group to discuss the situation in the Middle East, which McGuinty said Monday he participated in.

“Canada was not consulted, did not participate, and has no plans to participate in the offensive actions against Iran that are being undertaken by the U.S. and Israel,” the PMO readout stated.

In Australia on March 4, Carney said the notion of Canadian participation was a “fundamental hypothetical” but said he could not “categorically rule out participation” — particularly if allies needed defending.

Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan told reporters at a defence and security conference in Ottawa last week that she and her NATO counterparts would be meeting to consider helping Gulf states defend themselves against bombing from Iran.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

She said the Canadian Armed Forces would present a recommendation to the government after the meeting, which took place Friday.

McGuinty said Monday that “a number of NATO members have decided to provide some assistance to neighbouring countries in the immediate vicinity of Iran.”

“Canada has made no such decision,” he added. “It’s something that we’re monitoring carefully.”

0:33
Canada has ‘no intention to participate in Operation Epic Fury’: Anand

A number of European nations including France and the United Kingdom have deployed additional military assets to the region, including air defences and warships.

McGuinty said Carignan and other NATO military leaders were monitoring the Iran war’s impact on the alliance’s military readiness and ammunition supplies, including how that may affect the ability to assist in the war in Ukraine.

The House of Commons was set to hold a debate Monday evening on Canada’s approach to the war in Iran and its impact on Canadians abroad. Carney will not be participating.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre earlier Monday accused Carney of contradicting himself on Canada’s position, which Poilievre said no one understands.

Carney last week walked back his initial statement of support for the Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, saying the position was taken “with regret” due to a potential violation of international law.

Asked if he supported the U.S. and Israeli strikes, Poilievre said Conservatives support replacing Iran’s “terrorist regime with a democratically elected and peaceful regime,” although there have been conflicting statements from the U.S. administration on whether regime change was the goal of the war.

“As for Canada’s role in it, we’re not aware of any specific requests that the prime minister has received,” Poilievre added.

“If he has, we’d encourage him to share that information with all Canadians so we can have a debate about what we should do.”

Poilievre said Canada should be focused on what it can control at home, particularly on energy. He said Conservatives were demanding an emergency debate about how the conflict is affecting global energy supplies and how Canada can help solve the issue.

McGuinty said the federal government, for now, remains focused on the safety of Canadians in the Middle East and facilitating transport out of the region for those who wish to leave.

“The situation is serious,” he said. “It’s one that’s evolving, one that’s iterative, one that is difficult to predict. So we are, as DND (Department of National Defence) and the Canadian Armed Forces, watching it carefully, and in fact, we met with the Incident Response Group yesterday with the prime minister and five or six ministers to review the situation.”

Global Affairs Canada said Sunday that, out of the nearly 110,000 Canadians registered with the government who are in the Middle East, 9,185 have made requests for assistance and 5,267 have asked for help to leave the region.

The government has been using multiple methods of transportation, including booking commercial flight seats and ground transportation, to get people out. Those in Iran have been forced to travel to neighbouring countries where they can receive consular assistance.

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A majority of Canadians say they want Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor removed from the line of succession to the British throne, a new poll shows.

The poll, released Monday by Angus Reid Institute, shows an overwhelming 84 per cent of Canadians say they are in support of the move.

The survey was conducted online from Feb. 24 to 26 among a randomized sample of 1,607 Canadian adults.

It found 73 per cent were strongly in support of Mountbatten-Windsor being removed, while 11 per cent were moderately supportive. On the opposite end, four per cent said they were moderately opposed to the removal, while three per cent were strongly opposed.

The numbers echo Prime Minister Mark Carney’s own statement on Friday, in which he said he believes the former prince should be removed from the line of succession for his “deplorable” actions.

The prime minister added, however, that he would respect the process currently playing out in the United Kingdom.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal status last year over his close links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor was also arrested last month as part of an investigation into his alleged involvement with Epstein. However, he remains eighth in line to become monarch as the younger brother of King Charles III.

This is because the process required to remove a member of the Royal Family from that line requires an act of Parliament.

2:11
Ontario township looks to rename islands to cut ties with former Prince Andrew

In order to remove him, the U.K. Parliament would have to pass legislation that requires the agreement of the 15 Commonwealth realms who have King Charles III as their head of state, including Canada.

The last time a law on succession was changed was in 2012, when the Commonwealth abolished a rule that put male heirs ahead of female heirs regardless of age.

Several U.K. politicians have signalled they believe Mountbatten-Windsor should also be removed.

Canadians’ support for Andrew’s removal comes in contrast to what the poll found in terms of their opinion of the Royal Family, which remains relatively low. About 51 per cent describe the family as not relevant to themselves personally. In addition, 47 per cent of Canadians would prefer to end Canada’s constitutional monarchy.

Under the current line of royal succession, Charles’ son Prince William is heir to the throne, and his three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — are next. Prince Harry is fifth, and his two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are sixth and seventh in line.

— with files from Global News’ Sean Boynton and Rachel Goodman

Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from Feb. 24-26, using a randomized sample of 1,607 Canadian adults. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.  

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

As the war waged by the U.S. and Israel continues in Iran, hundreds of Canadians continue to exit the region by air, bus, and even on foot.

New numbers from Global Affairs Canada show that 109,889 Canadians have registered with the government’s voluntary registration system.

Of that number, 9,185 have made requests for assistance – 5,267 have asked for help to leave the region. The requests come as Iran’s war targets widened over the weekend into civilian infrastructure.

The agency noted that as of Sunday, it was not aware of any Canadians who have been injured or killed amid the conflict.

Bahrain accused Iran on Sunday of striking one of the desalination plants crucial for Gulf nations’ drinking water.

The same day, Saudi Arabia reported its first deaths, saying a military projectile fell into a residential area and killed two people of Indian and Bangladeshi nationality and that 12 other Bangladeshis were wounded.

Foreign residents and workers have made up most of the war’s deaths in Gulf nations.

1:55
Could U.S. be drawn into another lengthy war in the Middle East?

The war, which Israel and the U.S. launched with airstrikes on Feb. 28 that killed Iran’s supreme leader, has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, 397 in Lebanon, and 11 in Israel, according to officials. Six U.S. and two Israeli soldiers have also been killed.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian backtracked from comments he made a day earlier in which he apologized for attacks on Gulf neighbours’ soil. At the time, Iranian hard-liners swiftly contradicted him, saying the country’s war strategy wouldn’t change.

He appeared to echo that stance on Sunday, saying the more pressure imposed on Iran, the stronger their response would be.

“Our Iran, our country, will not bow easily in the face of bullying, oppression or aggression — and it never has,” Pezeshkian said. He urged neighbouring states not to take part in the attacks, despite U.S. strikes coming from bases and vessels in the region.

Canadians leaving by air, bus and foot: Global Affairs Canada

With the war raging, Canadians in the various countries have asked for help to a varying degree.

Of the 9,777 Canadians registered in Qatar, 1,077 – about 11 per cent – have asked the federal government for help.

Despite having the second-most number of Canadians registered at 24,101, just 389 – or 1.65 per cent – have asked for help to leave Lebanon.

The highest number of Canadians registered in the region are in the United Arab Emirates, with 30,632. A total of 2,668, or 8.71 per cent, have requested help in leaving.

The federal government said Sunday it continues to work to support Canadians’ departure from several Middle Eastern countries, including at pedestrian land crossings, with 182 known crossings to date. The majority, 150 people, have walked from Israel to Egypt, and 32 have left Iran for Turkiye, Armenia, Azerbaijan or Turkmenistan.

“Consular officials have been deployed to countries bordering Iran, including stationed near several Iranian borders to meet any Canadians who cross,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement.

Ground and air transportation have also been utilized, with three transports taking place on the ground this weekend.

6:36
Decoding the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran with Middle East expert and former senior U.S. diplomat 

Four buses from Qatar to Saudi Arabia left on Saturday, with Global Affairs Canada reporting 54 Canadians on board. Three more buses were scheduled Sunday, with a total of 47 Canadians on board.

The agency also noted 93 Canadians were on a chartered flight from Dubai to Istanbul on Saturday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced on Friday that Canada had also reserved hundreds of seats for Canadians on commercial flights leaving the Gulf region, adding if Canadians did not take them, the government would offer them to Europeans and others.

According to Global Affairs Canada, a total of 154 Canadians were on board four flights between Friday and Sunday. It noted though, that 72 passengers on two Beirut to Istanbul flights on Friday and Saturday were tickets sold rather than confirmed passengers, with confirmed numbers expected in the coming days.

A Dubai to Toronto flight on Saturday had 51 Canadians confirmed onboard, with a Beirut to Istanbul flight on Sunday carrying 31 Canadians.

–with files from The Associated Press and Global News’ Prisha Dev and Jillian Piper

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Iran was hammered with more missiles overnight after the US carried out its ‘biggest’ bombing yet during the Middle East conflict.

The US military marked the seventh day of the Middle East war with more bombing in Iran last night.

Air sirens rang out in Tehran as explosions rocked the densely populated city of more than nine million people. Intense fire and smoke were also seen rising from Mehrabad International Airport in the early hours of the morning.

More than 1,200 people have been killed in Iran alone during the conflict, which has spilt into the neighbouring countries, the Gulf region and Lebanon.

Donald Trump’s administration’s senior official claimed last night’s offensive was America’s ‘biggest bombing campaign’ in Iran.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business: ‘We’ll do the most damage to the Iranian missile launchers, the factories that build the missiles. 

‘And we are substantially degrading them. And, you know, our campaign has been overwhelming.’

The US Central Command claimed it has hit over 3,000 targets during the first week of ‘Operation Epic Fury,’ adding that it is ‘not slowing down.’

Trump’s provocative comments have added fuel to the flames over the conflict, with the US president saying there will be ‘no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender.’

Trump also said the MAGA slogan – Make America Great Again – should be turned into ‘MIGA’, ‘Make Iran Great Again’ in a ranting post on Truth Social yesterday.

Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, responded by saying that the unconditional surrender is a ‘dream that they should take to their graves.’

He called for the conflict to be solved through diplomacy, and apologised to Iran’s neighbouring countries ‘that were attacked by Iran.’

‘From now on, they should not attack neighbouring countries or fire missiles at them, unnless we are attacked by those countries,’ Pezeshkian said in a pre-recorded address.

Across the Persian Gulf, flights were grounded in and out of Dubai airport, one of the busiest travel hubs in the world.

Emirates, the Kingdom’s flagship carrier, said it has halted all flights in the city until further notice.

Evacuation flights have been able to take off from neighbouring Oman and Saudi Arabia as other countries scramble to ferry off citizens.

Around 140,000 British nationals registered themselves with the Foreign Office, and the first evacuation flight landed at Stansted on Friday night.

The second chartered plane touched down at Gatwick overnight.

Around 300,000 British nationals are estimated to be stuck in the Middle East.

The White House has suggested the war could take up to six weeks.

Trump has previously hinted that the US could go on for ‘far longer.’

Fears are growing over the impact on the global economy and trade after the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed since the start of the conflict.

Very few ships dare to pass through the 24-mile passage after Iran threatened it would strike any US, Israel or European-linked vessels.

The Strait handles around 20% of the world’s oil supply.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: US bomber ‘the Bone’ that can hit 900mph while carrying 24 missiles lands in UK

MORE: How fuel prices have surged since start of Iran war

MORE: Why are wealthy Dubai residents stuck abroad racing back to the UAE?

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday he believes Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should be removed from the line of succession to the British throne for his “deplorable” actions, but noted he would respect the process currently playing out in the country.

“Personally I do, yes,” Carney told reporters in Tokyo when asked about the former prince Andrew.

“There is a process (underway) to define that process, but I certainly think his actions, which are deplorable and have caused him to be stripped of his royal title, certainly merit, if that’s the word — necessitate is a better word — his removal from the line of succession. Even though he is well down the line of succession, I think the point, the principle, stands.”

The comments were notable coming from the leader of a member of the Commonwealth, all 14 of which would need to approve a change to the line of succession.

Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal status last year over his close links with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, he remains eighth in line to become monarch as the younger brother of King Charles III.

Get daily National news

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

The British government confirmed last month it was “not ruling out action” to change that after Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following the release of millions of pages of files last month related to Epstein by the U.S. Justice Department.

Those documents led to accusations that the former prince was sharing confidential trade information with the disgraced financier when he served as U.K. trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.

1:59
Epstein files: Investigation continues at ex-Prince Andrew’s former home following arrest, release

Mountbatten-Windsor was released without charge after spending about 11 hours in custody, but he remains under investigation.

“The government is clear that we are not ruling out action in respect of the line of succession at this stage, and we will consider whether any further steps are required in due course,” Darren Jones, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief secretary, told lawmakers after the arrest.

Removing someone from the line of succession would require an act of Parliament, which needs lawmakers’ approval.

Under the current line of royal succession, Charles’ son Prince William is heir to the throne and his three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — are next. Prince Harry is fifth, while his two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are sixth and seventh in line.

Mountbatten-Windsor — who was second in line to the throne at his birth — currently follows them in eighth position. His daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, are at ninth and 12th places, respectively.

Australia and New Zealand have said they would support any U.K. government plan to exclude Mountbatten-Windsor.

“These are grave allegations and Australians take them seriously,” Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote in a letter to Starmer last month.

“I agree with His Majesty that the law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation.”

—with files from the Associated Press

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Canada and Japan have signed a new strategic partnership agreement that aims to boost co-operation on defence, energy, trade and technology

Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Friday, outlining a long list of areas where the two countries plan to deepen collaboration on a range of areas from cyber policy to Arctic security and addressing climate change.

“We have much in common, and we’re enriched by each other’s cultures, perspectives and histories,” Carney said during a joint media event where both leaders made statements but took no questions.

“This is a strong foundation on which we can build something even better, more prosperous, more ambitious.”

Get daily National news

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Carney, who earned a smile and a clap from Takaichi by making some remarks in Japanese, touted the two countries’ close economic and security partnerships, including $40 billion in two-way trade and joint efforts to patrol the Pacific.

“We do much, but we’re ready to do much more,” he said.

1:50
Carney’s shifting position on Iran war overshadows trade tour across Asia

Carney said a Team Canada trade mission will travel to Japan in “the next few months.”

The strategic partnership agreements involve closer co-operation on international emergency response, joint coast guard exercises, and tackling illegal fishing in the North Pacific.

On trade, the two countries said they would instruct officials to “identify immediate investment opportunities, including through pension funds” and exchange trade delegations.

They also agreed to expand trade when it comes to energy projects, including liquefied natural gas, and to work closer on critical minerals, including to secure reliable supplies, among other measures.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press