OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to Paris and London on Monday to hunt alliances as he offers with U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on Canada’s sovereignty and economic system.
Carney is purposely making his first overseas journey to the capital cities of the 2 nations that formed Canada’s early existence.
At his swearing-in ceremony on Friday, Carney famous the nation was constructed on the bedrock of three peoples, French, English and Indigenous, and mentioned Canada is basically completely different from America and can “by no means, ever, in any manner form or kind, be a part of the US.”
“The Trump issue is the rationale for the journey. The Trump issue towers over every thing else Carney should cope with,” mentioned Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus on the College of Toronto.
Carney, a former central banker who turned 60 on Sunday, will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday and later journey to London to take a seat down with U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in an effort to diversify commerce and maybe coordinate a response to Trump’s tariffs.
He may even meet with King Charles III, the pinnacle of state in Canada. The journey to England is a bit a homecoming, as Carney is a former governor of the Financial institution of England, the primary noncitizen to be named to the position within the financial institution’s 300-plus-year historical past.
Carney then travels to the sting of Canada’s Arctic to “reaffirm Canada’s Arctic safety and sovereignty” earlier than returning to Ottawa the place he’s anticipated to name an election inside days.
Carney has mentioned he’s ready to meet with Trump if he reveals respect for Canadian sovereignty. He mentioned he doesn’t plan to go to Washington in the meanwhile however hopes to have a cellphone name with the president quickly.
Sweeping tariffs of 25% and Trump’s speak of constructing Canada the 51st U.S. state have infuriated Canadians, and lots of are avoiding shopping for American items once they can.
Carney’s authorities is reviewing the purchase of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets in gentle of Trump’s commerce battle.
The governing Liberal Celebration had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this 12 months till Trump declared financial battle and repeatedly has mentioned Canada ought to change into the 51st state. Now the social gathering and its new chief might come out on prime.
Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian historical past and worldwide relations on the College of Toronto, mentioned Carney is smart to not go to Trump.
“There’s no level in going to Washington,” Bothwell mentioned. “As (former Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau’s therapy reveals, all that leads to is a crude try by Trump to humiliate his company. Nor can you might have a rational dialog with somebody who merely sits there and repeats disproven lies.”
Bothwell mentioned that Trump calls for respect, “nevertheless it’s usually a one-way avenue, asking others to put aside their self-respect to bend to his will.”
Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill College in Montreal, mentioned it’s completely important that Canada diversify commerce amidst the continued commerce battle with the US. Greater than 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S.
Béland mentioned Arctic sovereignty can be a key subject for Canada.
“President Trump’s aggressive speak about each Canada and Greenland and the obvious rapprochement between Russia, a robust Arctic energy, and the US underneath Trump have elevated anxieties about our management over this distant but extremely strategic area,” Béland mentioned.
