Canada's Carney to Meet European Allies Amid Tensions with Trump

Photo : Reuters

New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Paris on Monday to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron. This is Carney's first official trip abroad since he became Prime Minister on March 14. He is meeting with Macron to get support from one of Canada's oldest friends, as U.S. President Donald Trump has been attacking Canada's economy and its independence.

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Carney is also visiting London after Paris. In London, he will meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III, who is also the head of state for Canada. Carney chose to visit these two cities because they are important to Canada’s history. At his swearing-in ceremony, Carney said that Canada was built by French, English, and Indigenous people. He also made it clear that Canada is different from the United States and will "never, ever, be part of the United States."

Since Trump became president, he has caused problems between Canada and the U.S. by putting high taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. He has also suggested that Canada become the 51st state, which made many Canadians angry.

A senior Canadian official said that Carney’s trip is meant to strengthen Canada’s relationships with London and Paris. The official also said that while Canada is a good friend to the U.S., the government needs to work with other countries to protect Canada’s interests.

Carney will visit the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris before meeting Macron. However, Macron will not hold a press conference with Carney. This may be to avoid upsetting Trump by siding too much with Canada.

Carney will then go to Canada’s Arctic region to talk about Canada’s safety and control over the area. He will also likely call for a federal election before the Canadian parliament starts up again.

Daniel Béland, a professor at McGill University in Montreal, said Carney’s trip shows how strong Canada’s ties are with the U.K. and France. He also pointed out that Canada became a country in a peaceful way, while the U.S. had a violent break from the U.K. He said this is an important difference between Canada and the U.S.

For Carney, going to London is like coming home. Before becoming Prime Minister, Carney was the head of the Bank of England. He was the first person who was not British to hold that job.

Carney has said he would be willing to meet Trump if Trump respects Canada’s independence. However, Carney has said he does not plan to visit Washington, D.C. right now but hopes to speak with Trump over the phone soon. Canada is also looking into whether to buy fighter jets from the U.S. due to the ongoing trade issues with Trump.

Meanwhile, Macron has been trying to convince his allies to stop buying so much U.S. military equipment. This fits with Canada’s own concerns about depending too much on the U.S. for military help.

The Liberal Party in Canada, which is currently in power, was facing a tough election. But now, with Trump’s actions against Canada, the party might be able to do better in the upcoming election. Carney’s leadership could help them win.