New Canada PM Mark Carney to visit Paris and London amid attacks from Trump

Mark Carney’s first trip as PM focuses on trade diversification amid US tensions.

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Mark Carney, Canada’s newly appointed prime minister, is on his first foreign trip, visiting Paris and London to strengthen partnerships and respond to the escalating attacks on Canada’s sovereignty and economy from US President Donald Trump.

The visit comes as Mark Carney faces pressure from Trump’s repeated calls for Canada to become the 51st US state and his imposition of sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods.

Mark Carney’s first foreign visit will include a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday, followed by a visit to London, where he will meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Mark Carney’s trip is strategically important as it focuses on solidifying ties with Canada’s founding nations—France and the UK—while seeking to diversify trade beyond the US market, which is increasingly unstable due to Trump’s aggressive trade policies.

During his swearing-in ceremony on Friday, Mark Carney emphasized Canada’s foundational diversity, asserting that the country was built on the bedrock of French, English, and Indigenous peoples. Mark Carney reiterated that Canada is not, and will never be, a part of the United States.

In an official briefing prior to his departure, a senior government official stated that Canada remains a friend to the US, but said, “We all know what’s going on,” referring to Trump’s tariffs and his ongoing remarks about Canada’s place in the world.

Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, noted that Trump’s actions have dominated Mark Carney’s first days in office. “The Trump factor towers over everything Carney must deal with,” Wiseman said.

Mark Carney, a former central banker who turned 60 on Sunday, is visiting London, where he once served as the Governor of the Bank of England, and will also meet with King Charles III, Canada’s head of state. This visit to the UK marks a homecoming for Mark Carney, who was the first noncitizen to serve as the Bank of England’s governor in over 300 years.

In addition to his meetings with Macron and Starmer, Mark Carney will travel to Canada’s Arctic regions to reaffirm Canada’s Arctic security and sovereignty, an area of increasing concern amid Trump’s aggressive rhetoric about both Canada and Greenland, and the US-Russia relationship under Trump.

Mark Carney has made it clear that he will defend Canada’s sovereignty, refusing to meet with Trump unless there is mutual respect for Canadian independence. Mark Carney previously stated that he does not plan to visit Washington, but he hopes to have a phone call with Trump in the near future.

Trump’s remarks about Canada and his 25% tariffs have infuriated many Canadians, leading to a growing national sentiment to avoid American-made goods where possible.

The Trudeau government was poised for a historic election defeat in 2025 until Trump’s rhetoric escalated, with the US president repeatedly suggesting Canada should become the 51st state. Now, Carney’s Liberal Party and his leadership have a strong chance of rebounding in the coming election.

Robert Bothwell, a University of Toronto historian and international relations expert, commented, “Carney was wise not to visit Trump” at this stage, noting that Trump has repeatedly humiliated foreign leaders and used diplomatic visits to “force his will” on others.

Political scientists agree that Canada must diversify its trade given that more than 75% of its exports go to the US. Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University, explained, “It is absolutely essential that Canada seeks alternative trade partners, particularly as the trade war with the US continues.”

In addition to trade, Mark Carney’s government is reviewing the purchase of US-made F-35 fighter jets, which have been complicated by the ongoing trade tensions.

The Arctic region is also a focal point for Mark Carney’s government, as Trump’s comments about Canada’s sovereignty and his dealings with Russia have raised alarm over the country’s control over its Arctic territories.