Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday flew to France where he will meet with French President Emanuel Macron. He will then fly to London in the United Kingdom to meet with his British counterpart.
Carney flew to Pairs after a brief stopover in Montreal, where he attended the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and marched in the parade.
As the Canada-U.S. relationship goes through a rough patch with U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs forcing economic pain Ottawa is looking across the Atlantic.
Carney will also be travelling to Iqaluit, Nunavut, his office said.
While in Europe, trade and security ties will be top of the agenda for both leaders, “with the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement as the foundation,” Carney’s office said.
In addition to economic and commercial ties, the two leaders will also discuss the Canada-France defence relationship, in the backdrop of Carney ordering a review of Canada’s purchase of F-35 fighter jets from U.S. weapons manufacturing giant Lockheed Martin.
On Monday, Carney will travel to London to have an audience with King Charles III and meet British Prime Minister Kier Starmer.
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Carney will return to Canada on Tuesday, flying to review Arctic security in Iqaluit and meet Nunavut premier P.J. Akeeagok.
“Canada was built upon a union of peoples – Indigenous, French and British. My visit to France and the United Kingdom will strengthen trade, commercial and defence ties with two of our strongest and most reliable partners, and my visit to Nunavut will be an opportunity to bolster Canada’s Arctic sovereignty and security, and our plan to unlock the North’s full economic potential,” Carney said in a statement Saturday.
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Carney’s visit to Europe comes as the relationship between Canada and its largest trading partner is undergoing strain due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada.
While Carney has no immediate plans to visit the United States, he said he “looks forward” to speaking with Trump “at the appropriate time.”
Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. said Carney is looking to set up a conversation with Trump “as soon as possible.”
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday morning, Ambassador Kirsten Hillman said the Canadian side has reached out to the U.S. since Carney was sworn in as prime minister on March 14 and was “looking forward” to connecting with Trump.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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