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Mark Carney, Canada’s new prime minister, has dismissed the prospect of a full blown confrontation with the US as “unthinkable”, citing Nato’s doctrine of mutual defence.
Carney, speaking during a whirlwind visit to London and Paris, was asked whether he had won assurances from UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron that they had “Canada’s back” if the US used economic force “or more” to annex its neighbour.
“All of us are in Nato and all of us respect article 5 of Nato,” he said, referring to the alliance’s doctrine that an armed attack on one member would attract a response from others. The US, Canada, Britain and France are all Nato members.
Asked whether he was disappointed that Starmer had not held a joint press conference to publicly criticise US President Donald Trump’s threats to Canada, Carney replied: “We can stand up for ourselves.”
Speaking during his first foreign trip since becoming Canada’s prime minister, Carney said Trump’s suggestion the US might annex it as a 51st state would “have to stop” before he would be prepared to sit down and talk about future relations.
Trump has announced 25 per cent tariffs on US imports from Canada, but backtracked this month by temporarily exempting products covered by a free trade agreement between the two countries.
He has also announced additional levies on Canadian aluminium and steel. Canada has retaliated with its own tariffs on US imports.
Carney conceded there were “limits” to Canada’s willingness to match US tariffs dollar for dollar, given the relative size of the two economies.
“We won’t take any action which we don’t think will ultimately influence the US or is outright harmful to Canada,” Carney said. “There’s a limit, full stop.”
Carney said during his European trip, which included meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace, that Canada was “the most European of non-European countries”.
The King, Canada’s head of state, wore a red tie for the occasion and Carney said of the monarch: “We have a steadfast defender in our sovereign.”
Downing Street said Starmer had “underlined that the UK and Canada are the closest of sovereign allies and friends”, in a discreet show of solidarity.
However both Starmer and Macron are anxious to avoid antagonising Trump as they seek to persuade him to provide security guarantees for any peace deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Both leaders also want to avoid further US tariffs.
Carney, who was sworn in as Canada’s prime minister last week, succeeded Justin Trudeau.
The former Bank of England governor faces a set of daunting challenges and must call a general election in Canada before October.
However Trump’s election, and his threats to Canadian sovereignty and imposition of tariffs, has boosted Carney’s Liberal party in the polls, demolishing a previously huge lead for the opposition Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre.
Britain and Canada have an ongoing trade dispute focused on beef and cheese, but the two countries are working together on security issues, including efforts to secure a peace deal in Ukraine.
Earlier on Monday Carney said in Paris that he intends to strengthen Canada’s relations with “reliable allies” in Europe.
Macron said France and Canada were “powers for peace” when it came to the war in Ukraine, and would demand “clear commitments” from Russia ahead of any peace deal.
Xavier Delgado of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington DC said Carney’s trip reflected a widely-held view that “the US today is not a reliable partner and ally”.
“As this period of tension with the US drags on, expect Canada to expand trade relations with other allies and partners around the world,” he added.
