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Carney pitches ‘new partnership’ with U.S. ahead of crucial CUSMA review
With the review of Canada’s free trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico set to begin in just over a month, the prime minister is telling American business leaders that a stronger Canada will help make America great again.
Mark Carney told a crowd in New York that our two nations need a new partnership, reflective of how the world is now, not what it was in the past.
“Let’s be absolutely clear: Canada strong will help make America great again,” said Carney.
The prime minister pitched the positives of a more independent Canada as a stronger U.S. ally, and called for a new partnership between the states and the great white north, while echoing the slogan of U.S. President Donald Trump.
“A true partnership, with a different Canada, a stronger Canada, a more confident Canada that reimagines cooperation in specific sectors that are deeply challenged by global competition,” said Carney.
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Speaking to titans of industry at The Economic Club of New York, Carney pointed to sectors that have been hurt by Trump’s tariffs, like the aluminum and automotive industries.
The prime minister outlined his government’s plan to navigate the “tectonic shifts” in global trade under the Trump administration, amid a more divided and dangerous world.
“We have to take care of ourselves,” said Carney. “Taking care of ourselves means building our strength at home and diversifying our partnerships abroad.”
Back in Ottawa, Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre dismissed the speech, saying it was filled with contradictory buzzwords.
“He says that we are in the middle of a rupture with the United States, while on the other he says he wants to make America, in his words, ‘great again,’ said Poilievre, “as he cannot seem to decide if integration with the U.S. is a strength or a weakness.”
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Carney’s trip to meet with American business leaders comes as Mexican and American officials meet for more negotiations, ahead of the official review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement (CUSMA), which begins July 1.
Canada and the U.S. have not begun official CUSMA negotiations and Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Thursday that he’s worried about that.
“I’m concerned,” said Ford. “In my opinion, we need to get to the table. We need to make sure we have certainty, not just here, but in the United States and let’s start moving on this, we can’t keep delaying.”
U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer said earlier this week that he is in regular contact with Canadian officials, saying there are significant trade issues with our country.
Greer said a quick renewal of CUSMA is unlikely, and lengthy trade talks between the U.S., Mexico and Canada are anticipated.
