Canada “has the same rich mineral deposits as Russia – with the difference that it is a credible democracy,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said when he arrived in Montreal late on Sunday, Aug. 21. During a three-day visit to Canada, Scholz intends to significantly expand cooperation between the two countries in the development of raw materials.

According to the chancellor, he intends to open new areas of cooperation in Canada. At the same time, Berlin and Ottawa intend to cooperate closely in creating hydrogen energy. Olaf Scholz pointed out that Germany has as friendly relations with Canada as is possible with any other country outside the European Union. “We share not only common values, but also a similar worldview,” he explained.

Khabek: Liquefied gas has already been purchased, but there is still no infrastructure

For his part, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, who is accompanying Scholz in Canada, denied reports that Germany cannot find on the world market the volumes of liquefied gas it needs to replace the supply of gas from the Russia. The problem for Germany is the lack of infrastructure needed for LNG, Habek said on air on German TV channel ZDF. Therefore, terminals for receiving liquefied gas are being built on the German coast, while the gas itself has already been purchased in sufficient quantity, added the German minister.

At the same time, he acknowledged that the coming winter, despite full gas storage facilities, would be “very critical”, pointing to the threat of a further reduction in Russian gas supplies in the context of the ongoing conflict with Gazprom and Russia’s war against Ukraine. Therefore, efforts must be made to reduce gas consumption by 20%, urged the German minister.

A delegation of high-profile businessmen arrived in Canada along with the politicians. Talks are set for August 23 with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. During the visit, the signing of close cooperation agreements in the production and transport of hydrogen, supply of liquefied natural gas to Germany, extraction of minerals and metals in Canada, namely nickel, cobalt, lithium and graphite, necessary for the production of batteries and batteries.