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Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, cited NATO’s doctrine of mutual defense, dismissed the prospect of a totally blown up conflict with the United States as “unconceived.”
Carney spoke during a whirlwind visit to London and Paris, and was asked whether British Prime Minister Kiel and French President Emmanuel Macron had obtained assurances that they had “Canadian backs” if the US used “Canadian backs” to annex their neighbors.
“We are all involved in NATO, and we all respect Article 5 of NATO,” he said, referring to the alliance’s doctrine that armed attacks on one member attract a response from another. The US, Canada, the UK and France are all NATO members.
Asked if he was disappointed that Priority had not held a joint press conference to publicly criticize President Donald Trump’s threat to Canada, Carney replied, “We can stand up to ourselves.”
During his first foreign trip since becoming Canadian prime minister, Carney said Trump’s proposal might annex it as the US 51st state.
Trump announced a 25% tariff on US imports from Canada, but this month he betrayed it by temporarily exempting products covered by the free trade agreement between the two countries.
He also announced additional taxation on Canada’s aluminum and steel. Canada retaliated with its own tariffs on US imports.
Carney acknowledged that there is a “limit” to Canada’s willingness to match US tariff dollars to dollars given the relative size of the two economies.
“We don’t take any action that we don’t think will ultimately affect the US or are completely harmful to Canada,” Carney said. “There are restrictions and there are complete stops.”
On a European trip, including meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace, Carney said Canada was “the most European of non-European countries.”
The king, the head of state in Canada, wore a red tie on the occasion. Carney said of the monarch:
Downing Street said Priority “emphasises that the UK and Canada are friends with their closest sovereign allies.”
However, priority and Macron want to avoid hostile to Trump as he tries to persuade him to provide security assurances to the peace deal to end the Russian war in Ukraine. Both leaders want to avoid further US tariffs.
Carney, sworn as Canadian Prime Minister last week, replaces Justin Trudeau.
The former Bank of England governor faces a series of difficult challenges and must call a general election in Canada by October.
But Trump’s election, and his threats to Canadian sovereignty and tariff levies, boosting Carney’s liberal party in polls, previously destroyed a major lead for the opposition Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilierelle.
The UK and Canada are engaged in a continuing trade dispute focusing on beef and cheese, but the two countries are cooperating with security issues, including efforts to secure a peace agreement in Ukraine.
Kearney met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris early Monday © Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP
Earlier on Monday, Carney said in Paris that he intends to strengthen Canadian ties with European “trusted allies.”
Macron said France and Canada are “forces for peace” when it comes to war in Ukraine and will demand a “clear commitment” from Russia ahead of the peace deal.
Xavier Delgado of the Canadian Institute at Wilson Center in Washington, DC, said Kearney’s trip reflects the widely held view that “the United States today is a trusted partner and not an ally.”
“We hope that if this period of tension with the US continues, Canada will expand its trade ties with other allies and partners around the world,” he added.
