Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Comité permanent des affaires étrangères et du développement international

For immediate release

Helsinki, March 1, 2023 -

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development has concluded its visit to Helsinki on a significant day for Finland. Today, the Finnish Parliament (the Eduskunta) voted in favour of Finland's NATO’s accession – an important step in Finland becoming a full member of the Atlantic Alliance.

The Committee welcomes the vote. It is also united in its belief that the Alliance has as much to gain from Finland and Sweden’s membership as the countries do themselves.

Our meetings with Finnish parliamentarians, government officials, and civil society organizations have only reaffirmed the close friendship that has long existed between Canada and Finland, as well as our like-minded roles in the world. These shared values and priorities have been demonstrated by the multi-dimensional support our countries have provided to Ukraine and Ukrainians since Russia launched its illegal war of aggression. The sentiment in both countries is that Ukraine’s cause is our cause.

Finland has long been a reliable partner for Canada, and the Committee also heard about the potential for deeper collaboration in a number of areas, including in the Arctic and in relation to emerging security threats. Indeed, there is much to learn from Finland’s approach to societal resilience and comprehensive security. We look forward to further engagement with our Finnish partners on these and many other subjects.