Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at the Global Progress Action Summit in Toronto on Saturday.Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Mark Carney says that while Canada has long benefited from its proximity to the United States, it needs to seek new partners so that it’s no longer reliant on that partnership.
“We need to build new trade relationships in order to move from reliance to resilience,” Mr. Carney told supporters and delegations from several European countries gathered Saturday at the Global Progress Action Summit in Toronto.
Mr. Carney said the Canadian government is grateful for its relationship with the United States, adding “we did say thank you,” in a jab directed at U.S. President Donald Trump who earlier this year said Canada was ungrateful for the “freebies” it receives from its southern neighbour.
“But as the U.S. changes dramatically its policies, and that’s the right of the United States, as it changes those policies, many of our former strengths have become our vulnerabilities,” he said. However, he said Canada still has the best trade deal with the U.S.
“Our response begins by reimagining aspects of North American integration. To be absolutely clear, Canada, like Mexico, Canada remains open to deeper integration, including options for fortress North America in selected sectors. And to be clear, those offers are on the table. But if that route is not ultimately possible, we will invest heavily in new markets.”
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Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are entering a scheduled review of the USMCA, a trilateral free trade agreement that has been in effect since July 1, 2020. The agreement specifies that the three parties must meet on July 1 and agree to extend it for 16 years or start a process of annual reviews for 10 years, after which the pact would end. Any of the countries can withdraw on six months’ notice.
Last month, Mr. Carney said in a video address that Canada’s close economic ties to the U.S. – once a strength – had become weaknesses that must be corrected.
The Prime Minister has often spoken about the importance of Canada building new trade relationships beyond the United States.
On Saturday, Mr. Carney said the federal government would reward companies that produce, buy and build in Canada and will form new partnerships abroad. He reiterated some of the government’s commitments, such as moving forward with a $500-billion investment in defence and security over the next decade.
However, he said building strategic autonomy also means forming new partnerships abroad and raising a number of trade deals Canada hopes to sign. He said Canada is the only non-European country to join Security Action for Europe, the European Union’s defence procurement initiative.
Mr. Carney also talked about how people around the world are feeling a loss of control, whether it’s over the rising cost of living, immigration or technology.
“And the loss of control that people feel that feeds our age of anxiety, it can only be answered by positive action, by building what comes next.”