Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has told US President Donald Trump that he must stop making “disrespectful” comments about the country before bilateral talks can start. The comments, which include Trump’s promise to make Canada the 51st US state, are seen as unhelpful and need to be stopped.
Carney made these remarks in London on Monday, during his first press conference since becoming Prime Minister last Friday. He emphasized that Canada wants a comprehensive discussion and negotiation of its overall commercial and security relationship with the US.
However, Carney also warned that Ottawa will only take action it believes can affect US behavior. This means that Canada may not match every US tariff imposed on Canadian imports dollar for dollar due to the significant size difference between their economies.
Canada has already retaliated with tariffs against tens of billions of dollars’ worth of US imports in response to Trump’s trade policies. The Canadian government is seeking a more constructive and respectful dialogue with its southern neighbor.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadas-carney-says-trump-must-stop-comments-before-bilateral-talks-can-start-2025-03-17