TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that he will visit U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. The high-stakes meeting comes as Trump continues his trade war and annexation threats.
Carney’s Liberal Party scored a stunning comeback victory in a vote widely seen as a rebuke of Trump, whose trade war and attacks on Canadian sovereignty outraged voters.
“We are meeting as heads of our government,” Carney said. “I am not pretending those discussions will be easy.”
In his first comments since election night, Carney said that Canadians elected a new government to stand up to Trump and build a strong economy.
Carney also said that King Charles III will deliver a speech outlining the Canadian government’s priorities on May 27, when Parliament resumes. Charles is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.
Queen Elizabeth II delivered the speech twice, in 1957 and 1977.
“That clearly underscores the sovereignty of our country,” Carney said.
Carney has emphasized Canada’s founding nations, the United Kingdom and France, since becoming prime minister after the resignation of Justin Trudeau. Carney repeated that the old relationship with the U.S. based on steadily increasing integration is over.
“On Tuesday, I had a very constructive call with President Trump, and we agreed to meet next Tuesday in Washington,” Carney said. “My government will fight to get the best deal for Canada.”
Carney previously said that Canada’s close friendship with the U.S. has ended and that the 80-year period when the U.S. embraced the mantle of global economic leadership and forged alliances rooted in trust and mutual respect is over.
Trump mocked Carney’s predecessor by calling him Governor Trudeau. He hasn’t trolled Carney.
Robert Bothwell, a University of Toronto professor of Canadian history and international relations, said that Carney shouldn’t go to Washington, because he risks Trump insulting Canada and him too.
“There is absolutely no reason to. You can’t bargain with Trump. His word is not his bond. It’s like writing on the water of a pond, a scummy pond. We have nothing to gain,” Bothwell said.
Carney also outlined the priorities of his new government four days after Canadians voted in the Liberals for a fourth mandate. He said that a new Cabinet would be sworn in on May 12.
“Now the election is over, and we are in a once-in-a-lifetime crisis. It’s time to come together, to put on our Team Canada sweaters, and win big,” Carney said. “Now is the time for ambition, to be bold, to meet this crisis with the overwhelming, positive force of a united Canada.”
He said that he will call for an election for a specific district as soon as possible if the opposition Conservatives want Pierre Poilievre, who lost his own seat in the election, to run in a by-election so he can sit in the House of Commons.
“No games, nothing like that,” Carney said.
The Conservative Party announced shortly after that a current Conservative member of Parliament from Alberta will resign so Poilievre can run in that district.
Carney said that he had a constructive conversation with Poilievre about Canada’s strategy with the Americans.
“I am in politics to do big things, not to be something,” Carney said.
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