One in three in Greenland see Canada as their future ally: survey

As Aleqa Hammond, Greenland’s new premier, starts her first official visit to Denmark, a new survey shows widespread support for closer links with Canada. (FILE IMAGE)

Many people in Greenland would support closer ties with Canada, a recent survey suggests.

One in three of Greenlandic residents who were surveyed said Greenland would derive the greatest benefit from more cooperation with Canada.

That’s compared to only one in five of those surveyed who said they felt that way about Denmark, which first colonized Greenland more than 300 years ago.

Among 18-to-29-year-olds in Greenland, 39 per cent said they believe that Canada is the country that “you will get the best out of working with.”

Only 12 per cent of youth pointed to Denmark.

The survey was conducted via telephone interviews with a representative sample of 712 people in Greenland.

The survey results came out as Greenland’s new premier Aleqa Hammond was set to start her first official visit to Denmark on April 15.

Hammond is coming as a representative of a people who no longer see Denmark as their primary, future ally, Denmark’s DR broadcaster reported.

The survey, carried out by the popular weekly newsletter A4, showed 31 per cent leaning towards Canada, when they were asked about which country would be the best ally for Greenland in the coming years.

Denmark came in second place, backed by 22 per cent, with China and the United States respectively garnering six and four per cent of the support from people in Greenland.

Greenland expert Lars Hovbakke Sørensen said he found it remarkable that so many Greenlanders are leaning towards Canada instead of Denmark.

But Sørensen said he doesn’t believe that Greenland will eventually be incorporated into Canada.

It’s more about being part of the same cultural community, similar how the residents of Nordic countries feel, he said.

“I think the attraction to Canada is linked to the historical and cultural context. The Greenlanders are like Inuit in Canada. They are a people who are very similar to the Greenlanders. They have the same culture and language and also formalized cooperation with Greenland,” Sørensen told A4.

Other questions in the survey revealed continuing support among Greenlanders for remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

“No one [in the survey] suggested that Greenland must form a new province in Canada, although they obviously have some common interests,” said Torben M. Andersen, an economist who is chairman of Greenland Economic Council, in A4.