Carney looks to double down on key European partnerships, calling Canada a ‘strong partner’

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In his first foreign trip as prime minister, Mark Carney is hoping to deepen and develop trading ties with the United Kingdon and France, calling Canada a “reliable, trustworthy and strong partner.”

Carney met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday in Paris with both giving joint opening remarks.

In his comments, Carney emphasized Canada’s shared values with France.

“I want to ensure that France, and the whole of Europe, works enthusiastically with Canada, the most European of non-European countries, and at the same time resolutely North American, determined, like you, to maintain the most positive relations possible with the United States,” Carney said.

Speaking in French, Macron called Canada a “unique friend to us” and acknowledged Canada’s support to Europe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Later on Monday, Carney will meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III. The meetings come as Canada is in the midst of a trade war with the U.S. and ongoing sovereignty attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump.

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.

Asked by reporters on Monday about Carney’s trip, and whether he should have gone to Washington, D.C. instead, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre did not answer directly but said “meetings will alone will not diversify our trade.”

Poilievre also criticized the Liberals for not getting products like liquefied natural gas “over the Atlantic,” adding “I would have liked to (have) seen Mr. Carney come home with a natural gas supply agreement signed with the French the way the Qataris have done.”

With files from CTV’s Stephanie Ha