On his first overseas trip as Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney took on a whirlwind tour of France and Britain on Monday, showing President Trump’s deep European bonds in Canada as he threatens his country’s economy and sovereignty.
Just three days after taking office, Carney had lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, before heading to London where he had Canadian sovereign King Charles III and an audience, meeting British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer.
“I would like to assure you that France and the whole of Europe are working diligently with Canada, the most European nation in the non-European countries.
Trump has imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, threatening more collections, unleashing the pain of the Canadian economy and is deeply integrated with that of the United States, particularly along with Mexico, through free trade agreements. Canada retaliated with its own tariffs on American goods.
But Trump has also repeatedly declared that Canada should become a US state, suggesting he would like to abolish treaties that distinguish between the two countries.
The horrifying attitude from Trump infuriated Canadians and gave Carney the boost he landed at his party and the helm of his country.
His travels in Europe did not bring about any particular new commitments, but it was an opportunity for Mr. Carney to advance two goals. By reaching out to important European allies, Canada has more friends than the US, showing that he will display his Gravita on the world stage during election preparations.
Mr. Carney was elected leader of Canada’s Liberal Party on March 8th and sworn as prime minister on Friday.
He is expected to call the election as early as this week. He is not an elected member of the Canadian Parliament, his party runs a minority government, and he is pressured to seek a mandate of governance.
At homes around the world
Working in two well-known positions as the Bank of Canada governor and then the Bank of England governor, the career banker runs Canada amid existential threats from its closest allies, neighbors and trading partners, but has launched a political campaign.
Against this background, his European trip became his strength when many Canadians were eager to see their allies step up for them.
Macron greeted Kearney as an old friend, and supported his image as someone who is at home at the world stage, at the time of geopolitical and economic turmoil, as someone who is familiar with his leader and his issues.
“We know that we know each other over the years, and we know that we love our country and accept people who are committed to our country,” Macron said.
France and the UK were the foundations of Canada and led European settlements centuries ago.
Mr. Carney’s personal relationship with the UK runs deep. His wife is British and studied at Oxford University. In 2013 he became the first foreigner to be elected governor of the Bank of England and in 2018 he acquired British citizenship. He has now given up on his British citizenship and the Irish citizenship he holds through his ancestors because of his status as prime minister, the spokeswoman said.
His political opponents sought to portray him as a globalist with almost real attachment to serving his home country.
Reality check
Despite the symbolism that Kearney was welcomed on his quick European tour, the reality is that Canada’s relationship with the US is inevitable and irreplaceable.
The US is Canada’s top trading partner. About 80% of Canada’s exports go to the US, with trade between the two countries being nearly $1 trillion.
In contrast, last year, trade between Canada and the UK was worth around $61 billion ($43 billion). Canada’s trade with the European Union is more important, growing to over $100 billion last year, becoming the second largest trading partner in the EU Canada.
On Monday evening, Carney said the tariffs and anti-resistance patterns were not sustainable, and he expressed interest in seriously negotiating with the United States.
“What we’re looking for about the US is to have a more comprehensive discussion about negotiations on our overall commercial and security relationship,” Carney told the London news media, adding that there are restrictions on the retaliatory tariffs that Canada places on the US.
Coming to respond to Trump’s rhetoric about the annexation of Canada, Carney said it was “unconceivable” for the US to make such a move in Canada. “Let me say something obvious: we are both members of NATO,” he added.
