EUROTRIP: Carney Returns After First Stint Abroad
(Image courtesy of CBC)
Prime Minister Carney returned to Canada today after his first diplomatic trip abroad to Paris, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron, and to London where he met King Charles III and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The trip was aimed at reinforcing Canada’s diplomatic relationship between the two transatlantic allies as US President Trump has repeatedly threatened a trade war against Canada and pledged to make it the 51st state.
Carney Meets With Macron and Starmer, Strikes Deal on Security
After the meeting with President Macron, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Canada and France agreed to initiate a new partnership on “intelligence and security.” The main focus of the partnership will be “enhancing cybersecurity and intelligence sharing” and will include measures to counteract threats of violent extremism, espionage, sabotage, among other national security priorities.
In London, Carney met with King Charles III and then travelled to 10 Downing Street for a evening meeting with Prime Minister Starmer, where the two previously knew each other as a result of Carney’s tenure as the Governor of the Bank of England. The two talked about the Canada-UK relationship, keeping up with trade and investment, and continuing support for Ukraine, where it was reported that Zelenskyy would be invited to the upcoming G7 meeting in Alberta this spring.
Carney returned to Canada on Tuesday and concluded his whirlwind tour by visiting Iqaluit in Nunavut, where he announced that Canada would expand its military presence in the Arctic and work with Australia to monitor purported threats from China and Russia.
Carney’s Visits Showcase Low Point in Canada-US Relations
The choice of Carney to visit Europe first over America was seen as a diplomatic slight towards Trump, whose annexation and tariff rhetoric has turned Canadian public opinion against the US. With Canadian patriotism and anti-Americanism at record highs, Carney’s snub of Trump and embrace of Europe is as much domestic as diplomatic. Carney, during a press conference with President Macron in Paris, said that Canada was “the most European of non-European countries,” a signal for more EU trade and perhaps joining the organization, although membership is reserved to European countries only.
With an election call happening sooner rather than later, Carney hopes that his antagonist attitude towards the US will yield more political capital, even as the economic impact and outlook remains uncertain.
