Habeck and Scholz in Canada: Energy Mission has a clear goal for Germany

Created: 08/22/2022, 10:46 am

By: Felix Durach

Travel to Canada together: Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (r) and his Deputy Robert Habeck.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Economics Minister Robert Habeck have arrived in Canada with a business delegation for a three-day trip.

The news ticker.

• During their visit to Canada, the two government representatives are aiming for closer cooperation between the two countries on climate and energy issues.

• Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Economics Minister Robert Habeck have arrived in Canada for a three-day trip abroad.

• This news ticker on the visit of Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Economics Minister Robert Habeck is constantly updated.

Montreal – Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) have arrived in Canada for a three-day trip abroad.

On Monday evening, the two members of the government were received in Montreal by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.

In addition to Montreal, visits to Toronto and Stephenville, a coastal city in Newfoundland, are also planned during the course of the trip.

The dominant topic of the visit should be closer cooperation in the climate and energy sector between Germany and Canada.

Scholz and Habeck in Canada: "Energy partnership for the future" as the goal

The focus of the trip is therefore to conclude an "energy partnership for the future" with Canada, Habeck explained on Monday in the ZDF morning magazine.

Specifically, the signing of an agreement on cooperation on the subject of hydrogen is planned.

But the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is also on the political agenda, as well as the extraction of minerals and metals such as nickel, cobalt, lithium and graphite that are present in Canada.

LNG

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is used when there is no pipeline connection between the producer and the consumer.

Natural gas liquefies when it is cooled to -162 degrees Celsius.

It's usually more expensive than pipeline gas.

Especially with a view to the Ukraine war, the federal government wants to strengthen its cooperation with Canada in order to create alternatives for Russian energy and raw material exports.

"The country has similar rich natural resources as Russia - with the difference that it is a reliable democracy," Scholz confirmed on Sunday evening.

The traffic light government in Berlin was only dismissed by the population in a published survey at the weekend.

Scholz on Canada: Share "a similar view of the world"

Scholz also emphasized that Germany has hardly any other country outside the European Union as close and friendly as Canada.

"Not only do we share common values, we also share a similar view of the world," he said.

The chancellor and economics minister will remain in the second largest country in the world in terms of area up to and including Tuesday.

On their trip, Scholz and Habeck are accompanied by a delegation of business representatives.