Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday that his country was seeking to reinforce ties with “reliable” European allies, as he embarked on a transatlantic trip after his country’s economy and even sovereignty came under unprecedented threat from its southern neighbour the United States.
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Carney, the former Bank of England governor who succeeded Justin Trudeau last week, conspicuously chose key Europe powers France and the United Kingdom, rather than the United States, for his first foreign visits after President Donald Trump ramped up the rhetoric against Canada.
Describing Canada as the “most European of non-European countries”, Carney said his nation needed to boost ties with European allies like France while trying to retain positive relations with the United States.
“It is more important than ever for Canada to reinforce its ties with reliable allies like France,” Carney said during a press conference with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on his first trip abroad since becoming prime minister on Friday.
“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.
Carney faces threats on three fronts: a trade war with the Washington, Trump’s threats to annex his country, and looming domestic elections.
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Trump’s imposition of an escalating raft of import tariffs on Canadian goods has threatened to trigger a recession, and his scorn for Canadian sovereignty sent jitters through the former ally.
Opinion polls show a large majority of Canadian voters reject Trump’s argument that their country would be better off as the “51st state of the United States”.