Macron and Carney Meet in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon: A New Euro-Canadian Corridor

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney travelled to the French overseas archipelago of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to meet President Emmanuel Macron. It was the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister to the islands, which sit about 25 km off Newfoundland. The leaders used the location to underscore that proximity to the United States does not diminish Canadian sovereignty, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent map depicting an expanded United States that included Canada, Greenland and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, and a tariff announced in April 2025 that imposed a 50 percent rate on the territory.

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Indigenous presence on the islands dates back roughly 5,000 years, and the archipelago later served as a French fishing outpost after Jacques Cartier’s 1536 expedition. Control shifted between France and Britain until 1816, when the islands returned permanently to French rule. Throughout the 20th century, the islands’ strategic value stemmed from fishing rights off Newfoundland and a narrow maritime corridor—nicknamed the “French Baguette”—that persists after 1992 arbitration. The 1988 fishing-quota disputes and the 1992 cod moratorium, which devastated the local economy, have left Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon dependent on public transfers, imports and a shrinking population of about 6,000 residents across 242 sq km.

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Carney has framed the meeting as part of a broader effort to reduce Canada’s vulnerability to “economic coercion” by stronger powers. In a January speech at Davos, he warned of a “rupture” in the international order and called on middle powers to cooperate. He has also advocated for Canada to become an EU “associate member,” a proposal that remains undefined but already includes discussions on defence, energy, critical minerals and technology. The archipelago, classified as an overseas country and territory of the EU, offers a concrete geographic link for deeper Canada-EU cooperation.

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French officials envision Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon as a logistical hub for Arctic cooperation involving Canada, Denmark and Greenland, especially after a recent U.S.–Denmark agreement. Energy proposals include using the islands as a support point for Canadian liquefied natural gas and hydrogen shipments to Europe, contingent on new port infrastructure. The territory already hosts a ground-based satellite station for the European Galileo navigation system, and planned submarine-cable connections could turn it into a transatlantic digital relay. These initiatives aim to diversify an economy still reeling from the cod fishery collapse, high living costs and climate-driven relocation of Miquelon’s village.

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The meeting highlights a shift toward closer Canada-EU ties and a joint response to perceived U.S. pressure. Whether the diplomatic attention translates into lasting investment for Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon’s residents will depend on commercial demand, infrastructure financing and the ability of both governments to coordinate development projects in the coming months.

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