Carney looks to double down on key European partnerships

Playing null of undefined

CTV News in Paris: Mike Le Couteur reports

CTV National News: Canada's 24th prime minister officially sworn in

CTV National News: What to make of Mark Carney's cabinet picks

'I would hope to see an election called very soon': Alta. Premier Smith on new PM

‘The same Liberal gang’: Poilievre reacts to PM Carney's new cabinet

Election outcome will be based on who can best manage Canada-U.S. file: Reid

In his first foreign trip as prime minister, Mark Carney hopes to deepen and develop trading ties with “two of our strongest and most reliable partners,” he said in a statement before leaving for France and the United Kingdom.

The meetings on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III come as Canada is in the midst of a trade war with the U.S.

All meetings are part of a jam-packed trip that includes a tour of the newly restored Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral and will end Tuesday with a stop in Iqaluit, Nvt.

“I think the message, subtle or otherwise, is that Canada has good friends around the world. It is also a very good friend of the United States, but we all know what is going on there,” a senior government source told reporters in a background briefing.

The official said the prime minister will look to explore new economic and security partnerships with our two founding countries.

“All countries that are subject to the tariffs that have been put on by the United States are calibrating their responses, talking to each other,” said the official. “That may lead to a coordinated response.”

In addition to fighting the trade war, officials say part of the visit will involve exploring supply chains for products that partner countries may need.

A free trade agreement with the United Kingdom is expected to be discussed in the meeting between Starmer and Carney, as only a continuity agreement exists since the U.K. withdrew from the European Union.

“Overall trade with that block is up 60 per cent since … signing the CETA,” said the government official on background, referring to the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. The trade agreement was signed in 2016 and has been provisionally applied since 2017.

France has not yet ratified CETA. However, France is Canada’s third largest merchandise trading partner in the EU with two-way merchandise trade totalling $14.2 billion.

In a phone call on Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Carney also reaffirmed support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. Carney has invited Zelenskyy to join other world leaders at the G7 summit this June when it is held in Kananaskis, Alta.