Carney ‘hopes to forge good relationship’ with Trump’

Canada’s new Prime Minister hopes to speak with Donald Trump ‘as soon as possible’ as he heads to Europe for talks with leaders.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney participates in Montreal’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Montreal. Picture: AFP.

Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney hopes to speak with Donald Trump “as soon as possible” and hopes to “forge a good and solid relationship” with the President, according to the country’s Ambassador to the United States.

In an interview with Fox News, Ambassador Kirsten Hillman said Canada had reached out to the White House since Mr Carney was sworn in as prime minister on Friday (local time) and was “looking forward” to connecting with Mr Trump.

She said Mr Carney “respects” what Mr Trump was trying to do in improving the US economy, but said the Prime Minister wanted to do the same for Canada.

She spoke as Mr Carney left Canada for Europe, where he will meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III.

According to a statement from Mr Carney’s office, the former Bank of Canada and Bank of England chief will also hold talks on Monday in Paris with France’s President Emmanuel Macron.

The statement said Mr Carney would seek to strengthen “two of our closest and longest-standing economic and security partnerships,” those with France and Britain.

At his swearing-in ceremony, Mr Carney noted the country was built on the bedrock of three peoples, French, English and Indigenous, saying Canada was fundamentally different from America and will “never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States.”

A senior government official said the purpose of the trip was to double down on partnerships with Canada’s two founding countries.

The official said Canada was a “good friend of the United States but we all know what is going on.”

“The Trump factor is the reason for the trip. The Trump factor towers over everything else Carney must deal with,” said Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto.

Previously, Mr Carney has said he’s ready to meet with Mr Trump if he shows respect for Canadian sovereignty. He said he doesn’t plan to visit Washington at the moment but hopes to have a phone call with the president soon.

Sweeping tariffs of 25 per cent and Mr Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st US state have infuriated Canadians, and many are avoiding buying American goods when they can.

Mr Carney’s government is reviewing the purchase of US-made F-35 fighter jets in light of Mr Trump’s trade war.

The governing Liberal Party had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared economic war and repeatedly has said Canada should become the 51st state. Now the party and its new leader could come out on top.

Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, said Mr Carney is wise not to visit Mr Trump.

“There’s no point in going to Washington,” Mr Bothwell said. “As (former Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau’s treatment shows, all that results in is a crude attempt by Trump to humiliate his guests. Nor can you have a rational conversation with someone who simply sits there and repeats disproven lies.”

AFP, AP