Another eventful week in Canadian politics is coming to a close, with signs pointing towards a snap-election call.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to announce the election on Sunday, with April 28 being the most likely date, according to our sources.
I recently traveled with Mr. Carney to Paris, London, and Iqaluit, from Sunday to Tuesday, as part of a group of journalists accompanying him on his first overseas trip as prime minister (with news organizations covering travel expenses).
Today, I will share some observations on Mr. Carney’s approach to President Trump’s threats, which seems to be different from that of his predecessor. Handling Mr. Trump will be a crucial issue in the upcoming election, and Mr. Carney’s strategy provides insights into his potential actions if elected.
Ian Austen will return next week with our Canada Letter as we delve deeper into the election period.
[Read: ‚Most European Non-European Country‘: Canada Turns to Allies as Trump Threatens]
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Mr. Carney has emphasized respect in his discussions about President Trump, indicating that he will not engage if Mr. Trump continues to refer to him as „governor“ as he did with Justin Trudeau.
After assuming his party’s leadership on March 9, Mr. Carney stated that he would not lift Canada’s retaliatory tariffs unless the United States showed respect to his country.
During his whirlwind tour of Europe this week, he reiterated this message.
In London, at a press conference at the Canada High Commission, he criticized U.S. leadership, saying, „They’re disrespectful, they’re not helpful, and they need to stop before we can have a conversation about our broader partnership.“
No rush
Mr. Carney also appears to be in no hurry to engage in discussions with Mr. Trump, preferring a slow, cautious, and measured approach rather than rushing into negotiations under pressure.
As of Friday evening, he had not yet spoken with Mr. Trump since being sworn in as prime minister last week.
During our stop in Iqaluit, I asked Mr. Carney if he was changing his approach towards Mr. Trump. He responded, „I’m less focused on reacting to every proposal on the table. We want to have a broader conversation, which won’t happen overnight. There is no single meeting that will resolve everything.“
He added, „Trade issues need to be addressed comprehensively, and from a Canadian perspective, from a position of strength.“
Dollar for dollar
Mr. Carney also acknowledged that the dollar-for-dollar retaliatory approach to U.S. tariffs „has its limits,“ indicating that while he will maintain the measures implemented by Mr. Trudeau, he may be less inclined to escalate them.
New friends
Mr. Carney’s rapid tour aimed to showcase his comfort on the global stage and his positive relationships with foreign leaders. This week, he also took steps to emphasize collaboration with non-U.S. powers in his U.S. policy.
During a stop in Iqaluit, he announced that Australia had been selected as a partner for developing an over-the-surface radar for the Arctic. This deal was finalized ahead of a similar negotiation with the United States, which had stalled under Mr. Trump.
Additionally, we reported that Canada was a key non-European Union partner for the bloc’s new military industrial initiative, which would provide Canada with preferential access to European defense contracts. This effort reflects U.S. allies‘ desire to reduce reliance on American military equipment.
Mr. Carney discussed these initiatives with European leaders, including a detailed conversation with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron.
[Read: Menaced by Trump, Canada Prepares to Join E.U. Military Industry Buildup]
[Read: Canada Bolsters Arctic Defenses as Trump Sets His Sights North]
Canada confident
Mr. Carney has expressed his desire to move past discussions of Mr. Trump’s „51st state“ threats, emphasizing that he believes a U.S. annexation of Canada is „unthinkable.“
Instead, he wants to convey that Canada should be confident and self-reliant in this moment, rather than seeking validation from external sources.
Some key statements on this theme include:
„We don’t need another country to confirm our sovereignty. We are sovereign. We don’t need approval from another country. We are proud.“ (London, March 17).
„We can stand up for ourselves. Canada is strong.“ (London, March 17).
„We can provide ourselves with more than anything that President Trump or any other trade partner can take away.“ (Iqaluit, March 18).
As Canadians avoid traveling to the United States, Myrtle Beach, S.C., a popular snowbird destination, looks different this year.
Police in Hamilton, Ontario, are investigating after over 80 cars were vandalized at a Tesla dealership. The carmaker, owned by Elon Musk, has faced similar incidents in the U.S.
Canadian authorities reported that the Delta Air Lines plane that crashed in Toronto last month was descending at a high speed before landing.
The research of Dr. Shoo Lee, a renowned neonatologist in Canada, was used in the conviction of a British nurse for murder. However, Dr. Lee’s. . .
Lee sagt, dass seine Arbeit niemals in dem Fall zitiert werden sollte.
Doug Ford, der Premierminister von Ontario, hat sich als einer der standhaftesten Verteidiger gegen Herrn Trump des Landes erwiesen. Das hat ihm den Spitznamen „Kapitän Kanada“ eingebracht.
Mélanie Joly, Kanadas Außenministerin, sagte, China habe vier kanadische Bürger im Land wegen drogenbezogener Straftaten hingerichtet.
Matina Stevis-Gridneff ist die Kanada-Büroleiterin der Times und leitet die Berichterstattung über das Land. Mehr über Matina Stevis-Gridneff
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