By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
27 OCTOBER 2026
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has hosted a high-profile dinner in Ottawa for Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, bringing together some of Canada’s most influential business executives, senior government officials, investors and representatives of the United Arab Emirates.
The dinner, held on Monday, October 26, formed part of the crown prince’s two-day official visit to Canada and highlighted Ottawa’s growing efforts to deepen its economic relationship with the oil-rich Gulf state.
A guest list of nearly 120 people obtained by The Globe and Mail included former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, senior executives from major Canadian companies, technology leaders, investment managers, government officials and members of Abu Dhabi’s ruling circle.
The gathering came as Carney’s government pursues new international partnerships to attract investment, expand trade and reduce Canada’s economic dependence on the United States.
The United Arab Emirates has emerged as an important potential partner in that strategy, with both countries pursuing agreements covering trade, investment protection, energy, defence, critical minerals, infrastructure and advanced technologies.
Canada’s corporate elite among invited guests
The guest list included leaders from several of Canada’s largest businesses and investment institutions.
Among those invited were Gregory Ebel, chief executive of energy infrastructure company Enbridge; Éric Martel, chief executive of aircraft manufacturer Bombardier; Victor Dodig, recently appointed chief executive of telecommunications company Telus; and Ian Edwards, head of engineering firm AtkinsRéalis.
Other prominent executives included Alexandre L’Heureux of WSP Global, Kieran Hawe of construction company EllisDon and James Scongack, chief operating officer of Bruce Power.
The technology sector was also represented, with Joelle Pineau, chief AI officer at Cohere, and Valérie Pisano, chief executive of Mila, among those listed.
Senior figures from major investment institutions also received invitations, including Deborah Orida of PSP Investments, Alison Nankivell of Export Development Canada and Geneviève Bouthillier of BDC Capital.
Representatives of Power Corporation of Canada and its investment arm, Power Sustainable, were included as well.
The breadth of the guest list reflected the range of industries Canada and the UAE have identified as potential areas for closer cooperation.
These include energy, infrastructure, aerospace, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, advanced communications, space technology and investment.
However, an invitation to the dinner does not establish that any guest or company has secured a government contract or committed to a particular investment.
Stephen Harper and senior officials attend
Former prime minister Stephen Harper was among the notable guests, joining senior officials from the current government and representatives of Canada’s diplomatic and economic institutions.
The list included Michael Sabia, Clerk of the Privy Council; Marc-André Blanchard, Carney’s chief of staff; David Morrison, a senior diplomatic adviser; and Scott Gilmore, the prime minister’s principal secretary.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, National Defence Minister David McGuinty and International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu were also listed.
The presence of officials responsible for finance, defence, trade and international relations underscored the broad policy interests surrounding the visit.
Provincial representatives, university leaders, hospital executives, Indigenous business representatives, lawyers, consultants and lobbyists were also included.
The dinner was therefore more than a ceremonial gathering. It brought together people and institutions connected to many of the sectors that could shape future Canada-UAE cooperation.
UAE investment commitment at the centre of relations
The visit comes against the background of a major investment commitment announced during Carney’s visit to the UAE in November 2025.
According to the Canadian government, the UAE committed to investing approximately $70 billion in Canada, creating the potential for substantial cooperation across strategic industries.
The announcement formed part of a wider effort to strengthen economic ties between the two countries and attract international capital into Canada.
Canada and the UAE have also made progress on two important agreements.
A Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement entered into force in May 2026, providing a framework intended to improve predictability and protections for investors.
The two countries concluded negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in July 2026 after 47 days of negotiations, according to the Canadian government.
The latest visit is intended to build on those developments and identify additional areas where the relationship can produce practical economic benefits.
The $70-billion figure represents the announced investment commitment, however, and should not be interpreted as money already fully invested in Canada.
The actual pace, allocation and implementation of investments will depend on subsequent projects and arrangements.
Why the United Arab Emirates matters to Canada
Canada is seeking to expand its international economic relationships amid uncertainty surrounding its longstanding trade relationship with the United States.
The UAE offers a potential route to greater commercial engagement with Gulf markets, as well as access to investors with interests in energy, infrastructure, logistics and emerging technologies.
The Canadian government reported that two-way merchandise trade between Canada and the UAE was valued at approximately $3.5 billion in 2025.
Canadian exports to the UAE reached about $2.8 billion, while imports from the UAE totalled approximately $679.1 million.
More than 150 Canadian companies have an operational presence in the UAE, and an estimated 60,000 Canadians live and work there, according to the federal government.
For Ottawa, expanding this relationship could help Canadian businesses find new markets while attracting capital for infrastructure and industrial development.
For the UAE, closer cooperation could create additional opportunities to invest in Canadian companies, natural resources, transport infrastructure and technology.
The dinner provided an opportunity to bring influential participants from these sectors into the same room, although concrete commercial outcomes will depend on future negotiations and investment decisions.
Defence, critical minerals and artificial intelligence
Beyond traditional trade, Canada and the UAE are exploring cooperation in areas that have become increasingly important to economic security.
Critical minerals are essential to several modern industries, including electric vehicles, batteries and advanced manufacturing. Canada’s resource base could offer opportunities for investment and supply-chain partnerships.
Energy remains another major area of mutual interest, while aerospace and advanced communications could create opportunities for Canadian manufacturers and technology companies.
Artificial intelligence and quantum computing are also among the sectors identified by the Canadian government for deeper cooperation.
Security and defence are expected to feature in the broader strategic partnership, reflecting the two countries’ interest in expanding collaboration beyond commercial exchanges.
The significance of these sectors is that they connect foreign investment with longer-term priorities, including industrial capacity, technological development and national security.
The extent of future cooperation will depend on the agreements and projects announced by both governments.
DP World explores development of northern shipping corridor
One notable commercial development associated with the visit involved DP World, the Dubai-based port operator.
On Monday, the company announced a memorandum of understanding with the owner of Manitoba’s Port of Churchill to explore further development of an expanded northern shipping corridor.
The proposed initiative could be relevant to discussions about trade infrastructure, logistics and Canada’s ability to connect businesses with international markets.
An expanded northern shipping route could create opportunities for moving goods through Manitoba and potentially strengthen the port’s role in Canadian trade.
However, the memorandum of understanding represents an agreement to explore development opportunities rather than confirmation that a completed project, financing package or construction timetable is in place.
Douglas Smith, chief executive of DP World’s Canadian operations, was among those invited to the dinner.
The development illustrates how the broader Canada-UAE relationship could extend into practical discussions about transportation and trade infrastructure.
What the visit means for Canada’s economic strategy
Carney’s government has made economic diversification a central part of its approach to international relations.
Rather than relying too heavily on one trading partner, Ottawa is seeking to develop stronger connections with other economies and attract investment into sectors considered strategically important.
The relationship with the UAE fits into that approach, combining investment ambitions with negotiations on trade, infrastructure, energy and security.
The dinner’s guest list demonstrated the range of Canadian institutions and industries that could become involved in the expanding relationship.
Still, the long-term success of the partnership will be judged by its results: whether investment commitments translate into operating projects, whether trade expands, and whether Canadian businesses and workers benefit from the opportunities created.
For now, the crown prince’s visit represents another step in the effort to transform Canada-UAE relations into a broader strategic and economic partnership.
The discussions and agreements emerging from the visit will determine how much of that ambition becomes reality.
