NEW CANADIAN PREMIER Mark Carney warned that his country must reduce its reliance on the US and would turn towards its “reliable” European allies instead.

During his first trip trip abroad after succeeding Justin Trudeau last week, Carney met with British leader Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron yesterday in London and Paris.

The meetings came after US President Donald Trump have threatened the US’ trading partners’ economies with tariffs. Speaking to reporters, Carney said Canada “must diversify” its trade and security ties.

“What is clear is that our trade and our security relations are too reliant on the United States. We must diversify,” the former Bank of England governor said. “That’s one of the reasons for which my first visit is to Paris and London.”

Starmer thanked Carney for his “approach to Ukraine”, two days after the Canadian leader took part in a video conference on shoring up support for Kyiv hosted by his UK counterpart.

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 Washington.

Carney faces threats on three fronts: a trade war with Washington, Trump’s threats to annex his country and looming elections at home.

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”.

But the trade war is a threat to the economy of the vast country of 41 million people, which has long enjoyed a close US partnership.

 - © AFP 2025