In his first foreign journey as a Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney on Monday embarked on a whirlwinding tour of France and Britain to display the deep European relations of Canada, as President Trump threatens the economy and sovereignty of his country.
Just three days after he swore to his duties, Mr. Carney had lunch with President Emmanuel Macron from France in Paris, before heading to London, where he had an audience with King Charles III, a Canadian sovereign and also met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain.
“I want to ensure that France and the whole of Europe are enthusiastically acted with Canada, the most expressive European countries, as determined to maintain the most positive relations with the United States,” Mr. Carney told Mr. Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris.
Mr. Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian goods and threatens even more levies, releasing pain in the Canadian economy, which is deeply integrated with the one in the United States, especially the free trade agreement, along with Mexico. Canada avenged her own tariffs on American goods.
But Mr. Trump also repeatedly stated that Canada should become an American state and suggested that she wanted to abolish a contract that branched the border between the two nations.
The threatening attitude of Mr. Trump angered the Canadians and gave Mr. Carney’s reinforcement that landed him at the forefront of his party and his country.
His trip to Europe did not bring any special new obligations, but it was an opportunity for Mr. Carney to spend two goals: to turn to key allies in Europe, showing that Canada has more friends than only the United States and display his gravity on the world stage while preparing for the election.
Mr. Carney was elected leader of the Canadian Liberal Party on March 8th and swore as a prime minister on Friday.
He is expected to call the election this week. He is not a chosen member of the Canadian Parliament, and his party governs the minority government, which makes him pressure to seek a mandate for management.
At home in the world
A career banker who served in two high positions-like Governor of Canada banka, and then from the bank of England-Lynter, Carney runs Canada in the midst of existential threats from his nearest ally, neighbor and commercial partner, while launching a political campaign, something he never did.
In accordance with this background, his European journey played on his strength at a time when many Canadians long to see their allies intensify for them.
Mr. Macron welcomed Mr. Carney as an old friend, enhancing his image as someone who is at home on the world stage, familiar with his leaders and his problems, during the geopolitical and economic turmoil over the audit of the US Federation and the policies of Mr. Trump.
“Since we have known each other for many years, I know that we are receiving a man who loves his country, who is dedicated to his country,” said Mr. Macron.
France and Britain are fundamental to Canada after led by Europeans a century ago.
Mr. Carney’s personal relationships with Britain are running deep. His wife is British and studied at the University of Oxford. In 2013, he became the first stranger ever elected Governor of England, and gained British citizenship in 2018. He moved to renounce his British citizenship, and Irish citizenship, which he holds through origin, because of his position of the Prime Minister, said a spokeswoman.
His political opponents sought to paint him as a globalist with a little real attachment to serving his home country.
Checking reality
Despite the symbolism of Mr. Carney’s welcome on his fast European tour, the reality is that the Canadian attitude towards the United States is irreplaceable and irreplaceable.
The United States is the best Canadian commercial partner; About 80 percent of Canadian exports go to the United States, and the volume of trade between the two nations is almost one billion dollar.
On the contrary, last year, the store between Canada and Britain was worth around $ 61 billion in Canadian dollars ($ 43 billion). The Canadian trade with the European Unico as a block was more significant, which raised more than $ 100 billion last year, which made the second largest trade partner in EU Canada.
On Monday night, Mr. Carney said that the Tariff and the counter-Tarif sample were not sustainable and expressed interest in serious negotiations with the United States.
“What we are looking for in view of the United States is a comprehensive discussion of negotiations on our entire commercial and security relationship,” Mr. Carney told London newspaper media, adding that the restrictions on the retail retigations could be imposed in the United States.
Pressed to respond to Mr. Trump’s rhetoric about the annexation of Canada, Mr. Carney said it was “unthinkable” that the United States would make such a move in Canada. “Let me say obviously, which is that we are both members of the NATO,” he added.
