Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s continued threats to make Canada a U.S. state “need to stop” before his government can sit down for talks on an updated trade partnership.
Carney was in London, England, as he wrapped up his first international trip as prime minister, which also included a visit to France. The growing trade war with the U.S. and Trump’s threats to Canada’s sovereignty were top of mind, with Carney seeking deeper ties with European allies.
European leaders have been slow to defend Canada against Trump’s rhetoric, but Carney told reporters that Canada can stand up for itself.
“I don’t think one needs to respond to every comment about another country,” he said. “We can stand up for ourselves.
“We’ve called out those comments. They’re disrespectful, they’re not helpful, and they need to stop. They will have to stop before we sit down and have a conversation about our broader partnership with the United States.”
Carney said Canada wants to have “a more comprehensive discussion of, and negotiation of, our overall commercial and security relationship” with the U.S. when the Trump administration is ready to do so.
“When the United States is ready to have that conversation, we’re more than ready to sit down,” he said.
Carney met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III during his visit to London. He told reporters the King demonstrated Canada has “a steadfast defender in our sovereign.”
Get breaking National news
Starmer said ahead of his meeting with Carney at 10 Downing Street that the Canada-U.K. relationship between “two sovereign allies” has “always been strong.”
Starmer’s government has opted to not retaliate against Trump’s 25 per cent global tariffs on steel and aluminum, despite Canada doing so. The federal government along with provinces and territories have rolled out waves of measures responding to both the steel and aluminum tariffs and sweeping 25 per cent duties on Canadian goods imposed early this month over border security.
Carney said he’s “not trying to organize a coordinated retaliation” among allies who will make their own decisions on how to respond to Trump’s trade policies.
He also acknowledged there’s a limit to Canada’s ability to match U.S. tariffs dollar-for-dollar given the relative size of the two economies, but did not rule out further retaliation once Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs begin on April 2 as promised.
“We are not going to take an action that we think is not ultimately going to influence the United States, and certainly not one that is overly harmful to Canada,” he said.
Earlier Monday, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris to discuss what Carney described as “deeper security and military cooperation” as well as deeper economic ties.
In joint opening remarks before their meeting at the Elysee Palace, Carney stressed that Canada and France shared values of sovereignty, solidarity and sustainability and must strengthen their ties.
“With you Mr. President, I want to ensure that France and the whole of Europe works enthusiastically with Canada, the most European of non-European countries, determined, like you, to maintain the most positive possible relations with the United States,” Carney said in English.
“(It) is more important than ever for Canada to strengthen its ties with reliable allies like France,” Carney added.
Carney also said Canada and France know that economic co-operation, not confrontation, will help build strong economies.
Macron called Canada a “unique friend” with a shared vision of freedom. He also underscored a deep strategic partnership for trade, defence, protecting the environment and creating new technologies, while appearing to take a veiled swipe at Trump’s tariff policies.
“We believe that fair trade that respects international rules is a good thing for everyone’s prosperity, and it is far more effective than tariffs that simply create inflation and destroy the integration of our economies and our supply chain,” he said.
Carney’s Europe trip comes just days after he was sworn in as Canada’s prime minister Friday. He will fly to Canada’s north on Tuesday after wrapping up the visit.
The Royal Family’s X account shared a photo of King Charles with Carney during their meeting, but did not mention what was discussed.
The meetings are taking place amid global trade uncertainty as Trump has slapped tariffs on America’s allies, including Canada and European nations, with more threatened to come next month.
Trump has also increased his threats against Canada’s sovereignty, calling the Canada-U.S. border an “artificial line” alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who did not push back.
Trump’s rhetoric has been defended by members of his administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called it an “economic” argument while on Canadian soil last week.
On Sunday, Carney spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which he “reaffirmed Canada’s steadfast support for Ukraine” in its fight against Russia’s invasion, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Carney also formally invited Zelenskyy to the G7 Summit that will take place in Alberta in June.
— with files from The Canadian Press
Comments