Canada, U.S., Finland reaffirm icebreaker pact as trade talks remain frozen

Canada, the United States and Finland took a step toward building new icebreakers despite the breakdown in trade talks between Ottawa and the Trump administration.

Canada’s Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman joined Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto to sign a joint statement of intent in Washington on Tuesday to strengthen industrial co-operation and bolster the countries’ icebreaker fleets.

The statement says U.S. President Donald Trump still has support for the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, known as the ICE Pact, which was signed under President Joe Biden.

Noem on Tuesday said American shipyards will lead the way in the building of the new icebreakers under the pact, part of Trump’s broader efforts to boost manufacturing in the U.S.

The bilateral relationship between Canada and the United States has been in turmoil and Trump previously dismissed Canada’s role in building icebreakers.

Trump said in early January, before the start of his second term in office, that “we don’t really want to have a partner in the buying of icebreakers” while complaining about the trade deficit with Canada.

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Trump called off trade negotiations with Ottawa in October, citing an Ontario-funded advertisement quoting former president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.

Noem says Canada has made good progress on securing its border with the United States but she did not say whether it would be enough to lift Trump’s tariffs.

Work began in Finland in August on a new Canadian icebreaker to be named the Polar Max as part of the ICE Pact. The hull will be built at Helsinki Shipyard before being transported to Canada where it’s expected to be completed in Levis, Quebec by 2030.

—With additional files from Global News and the Associated Press