Submarines off the table as Carney meets with leaders of Norway, Germany

Prime Minister Mark Carney touched down in Norway early Friday where he will get important face time with the Nordic country’s leader and the German chancellor before taking in a major NATO wargaming exercise that includes Canadian troops.

Both countries are backing a bid by German submarine-maker TKMS to sell Canada 12 new submarines — a multi-billion dollar program that has been fast-tracked by the Liberal government.

Despite the high-stakes — militarily, economically and diplomatically — Carney said he doesn’t expect the submarine bid to be discussed among the three leaders.

"The short answer's no," he said, when asked about the possibility in Yellowknife prior to boarding a flight to Europe, "because we're at a phase in that process where the final bids have been submitted."