Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday that he will travel to Washington next Tuesday to meet US President Donald Trump. The newly elected PM will meet Trump following his election campaign that was marked by sharp criticism of American policies.
Carney, who accused Trump of trying to “break Canada” during the campaign, now says it’s time to rethink the bilateral relationship. “Our old relationship, based on steadily increasing integration, is over,” Carney said. “The questions now are how our nations will cooperate in the future and where we in Canada will move on,” he added.
While details of the Washington visit are still being finalised, Carney’s office confirmed the two leaders recently spoke by phone where Trump congratulated Carney on his victory. “The two leaders agreed on the importance of Canada and the United States working together – as independent, sovereign nations – for their mutual betterment,” Carney’s office said.
Trump, who has flirted with the idea of annexing Canada and has imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, has drawn repeated condemnation from Carney, who called the actions a betrayal.
The newly elected Liberal leader, a former central banker, said his crisis management skills make him best suited to confront Trump. Carney also stressed that Canada must diversify its trade, noting that 75% of its exports currently go to the US.
Why is the Trump-Carney meeting important for Canada?
One of the central themes of PM Carney’s election campaign was the vocal opposition of the Trump administration. The upcoming meeting is viewed as critical for Carney who promised to resettle Canada’s fraught relationship with the US.
In the past, Carney has dismissed Trump’s repeated remarks about turning Canada into the 51st state, calling the idea absurd and declaring the traditional partnership with Washington effectively “over”. “We are over the shock of American betrayal. But we should never forget the lessons,” Carney had said in his election victory speech.
Trump has slapped tariffs on some of Canada’s biggest exports to the US, including auto parts, triggering retaliatory duties from Ottawa and fueling a growing “Buy Canadian” movement aimed at boycotting American products.
In February, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned business leaders that Trump’s comments weren’t just bluster, he believed the US President had a keen eye on Canada’s critical mineral reserves. Carney, who succeeded Trudeau as Liberal leader in March, echoed those concerns during his election night speech, declaring, “President Trump is trying to break us so America can own us.”