Trump tariffs: Canada PM Mark Carney to visit Britain, France amid sovereignty concerns

Canadian PM Mark Carney seeks alliances in Europe as he deals with Trump.

With Canada's independence under threat, Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Britain next week for talks with his British counterpart Keir Starmer and King Charles III.

According to a statement from Carney's office, the former Bank of Canada and Bank of England chief will travel to London after meeting France's President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday.

As per the AFP report, the statement highlighted Carney's aim to strengthen "two of our closest and longest-standing economic and security partnerships," referring to France and Britain.

Carney's decision to visit these capitals first underscores their historical influence on Canada's early development.

During his swearing-in ceremony on Friday, Carney emphasised that Canada was founded on the contributions of French, English, and Indigenous peoples, asserting that Canada is distinct from America and will "never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States."

A senior government official, speaking to reporters aboard a plane before picking up Carney in Montreal, said the trip aims to reinforce ties with Canada's founding nations. Quoted by AP, the official added that Canada remains 'a good friend of the United States, but we all know what is going on.

Carney, a former central banker who turned 60 on Sunday, will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris before heading to London to discuss trade diversification and a potential response to Trump's tariffs with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

He will also meet King Charles III, Canada's head of state. Carney's visit to Britain carries personal significance, as he was the first noncitizen appointed as governor of the Bank of England in its 300-year history.

Following his European engagements, Carney will travel to the Arctic to "reaffirm Canada’s Arctic security and sovereignty" before returning to Ottawa, where he is expected to call an election in the coming days.

Carney has expressed willingness to meet with Trump, provided Canadian sovereignty is respected. While he has no immediate plans to visit Washington, he hopes to arrange a phone conversation with the US president soon.

In recent weeks, Canada's sovereignty has been repeatedly challenged by President Donald Trump, who has initiated a trade war and threatened to annex the United States' northern neighbour.

Canada has rejected the US claim, but the issue is likely to be a key factor in the upcoming election, which may be announced in the coming weeks.

Sweeping tariffs of 25% and Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state have infuriated Canadians, leading many to avoid purchasing American goods where possible.

Carney's government is reassessing the purchase of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets in response to Trump’s trade war.

The governing Liberal Party had been facing a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared economic war and repeatedly suggested Canada should become the 51st state. Now, the party and its new leader may gain the upper hand.

According to AP, Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, said Carney is wise to avoid visiting Trump.

"There’s no point in going to Washington," Bothwell stated. "As (former Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau’s treatment shows, all that results in is a crude attempt by Trump to humiliate his guests."

Bothwell noted that Trump demands respect, "but it’s often a one-way street, asking others to set aside their self-respect to bend to his will."

Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, emphasised the necessity of trade diversification amid the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade war. Currently, over 75% of Canada's exports go to the U.S.

Béland also highlighted Arctic sovereignty as a critical issue for Canada.

"President Trump’s aggressive talk about both Canada and Greenland and the apparent rapprochement between Russia, a strong Arctic power, and the United States under Trump have increased anxieties about our control over this remote yet highly strategic region," Béland told AP.