What Canada's new prime minister means now for Trump’s tariff war and '51st state'
As Canada learned its fate over who will govern the country through this period of uncertainty as President Donald Trump continues to ruffle feathers, new prime minister Mark Carney insists he is prepared for the fight.
In the early hours of this morning (April 29), the 60-year-old discovered he will be staying on in office - a landmark victory for the Liberal Party, with Pierre Poilievre's Conservative Party having held what was considered to be an insurmountable lead in the polls ahead of election day.
Carney assumed the role from former PM Justin Trudeau last month after he announced his decision to step down from power following a decade at the helm.
But Carney's campaign was based on the economist being the man to take on President Trump, with his CV boasting of seven years as governor of the Bank of Canada - navigating the nation through the financial crash in 2008.
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With two new leaders in North America, Canada and the US are seemingly set for a mighty showdown.
What has Trump been saying about Canada?
The 78-year-old Republican has been urging Canadians to call for a referendum so that they can vote on whether or not Canada should give up its independence and become part of the US.
It's all part of the Trump administration's seemingly expansionist agenda, on the grounds that the US wants to annex Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal, as well as taking over the Gaza Strip.
The POTUS has been calling for Canada to become the US' '51st State' for months, and even yesterday took to Truth Social in the hope of influencing Canadian voters heading to the polls.
"Good luck to the Great people of Canada," he wrote.
"Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America.
"No more artificially drawn line from many years ago. Look how beautiful this land mass would be. Free access with NO BORDER. ALL POSITIVES WITH NO NEGATIVES. IT WAS MEANT TO BE!
"America can no longer subsidize Canada with the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year that we have been spending in the past. It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!"
And of course, Trump's also been fanning the flames of a global trade war, with a universal 10 percent slapped on US imports globally, though Canada was exempt because it had already been targeted by Trump with other tariffs.
Canada was hit with a blanket 25 percent on goods, while energy and potash was slapped with a 10 percent levy, and 25 percent tariff was placed on Canadian steel and aluminium.
What has Mark Carney previously said about Trump?
Last month, Trump and Carney shared their first call. The president used the call to advocate for Canada to become part of the US - something Carney chose to omit from the public when he first reflected on their chat.
He described it as 'cordial' and 'positive', claiming that Trump 'respected Canada's sovereignty today both in his private and public comments'.
After being broached on the topic of incorporating Canada to be part of the US, Carney allegedly replied, 'let’s agree to disagree on that one', according to two sources who spoke with Radio-Canada.
However, a spokesperson for the prime minister has denied that Carney said those words.
"No, the prime minister didn't say this to President Trump, and he was always clear on the fact that the possibility that Canada could be part of the US is not on the table and never will be," they said.
Carney was questioned over the meeting on Thursday (April 24), and why he didn't mention that Trump spoke of his intentions for Canada to become part of the US, and he responded: “The president brings this up all the time. He brought it up yesterday. He brought it up before."
Before adding later that day: "Just yesterday, President Trump repeated his attacks on Canada. He said he doesn’t want Canada, I’m quoting, to play any part in the American auto industry. So I’ll be equally clear. This is Canada. We decide what happens here.
"Yesterday was more proof, as if any were needed, that the old relationship with the United States is over, and proof that we need to chart a new path."
What has Mark Carney vowed to do now in response to Trump?
Carney addressed supporters in Ottawa this morning as he made his stance clear.
"As I've been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country - never," he said
"But these are not these are not idle threats, President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us - that will never, that will never ever happen. But we also must recognize the reality that our world has fundamentally changed."
Carney continued: "We are over the shock of the American betrayal but we should never forget the lessons, we have to look out for ourselves and above all we have to take care of each other.
"When I sit down with President Trump it will be to discuss the future economic and security relationship between two sovereign nations, and it will be with our full knowledge that we have many, many other options than the United States to build prosperity for all Canadians."
He went on to warn Trump that Canada will triumph over the US if he continues his agenda to slap levies on Canadian goods.
Adding: "We are exploring everything this country has to offer, we are supporting our friends and neighbors in the crosshairs of President Trump, through a crisis that we did not create.
"United we will win this trade war and build the strongest economy in the G7. An economy that works for everyone."
The G7, otherwise known as the Group of Seven, is an informal group of seven of most advanced economies in the world: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.
Topics: Canada, Donald Trump, Politics
Joe Yates