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Mark Carney has rejected any idea of joining the US and pledged to win the deepening trade war with Washington
Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed that Canada will never become part of the United States, pushing back against US President Donald Trump’s repeated comments about making the northern neighbor the 51st state.
Trump reiterated on Thursday that “Canada only works as a state” and defended his decision to impose tariffs on the country, claiming that the US spends $200 billion a year to subsidize Ottawa.
Speaking outside Ottawa’s Rideau Hall after being sworn in as prime minister on Friday, Carney dismissed the notion of annexation.
“We will never, ever, in any way, shape, or form, be part of the United States,” he said.
“America is not Canada,” Carney added, calling his country “a very fundamentally different nation.” Both “the nature of Canada” and “the economics” make Trump’s idea unthinkable, he said.
Carney added that Trump will only respect Canada if it has other options, stressing the need to strengthen the economy while seeking alternative trade partners. Earlier this week, Ottawa imposed 25% tariffs on tens of billions of dollars’ worth of American imports in retaliation for the 25% duty hikes introduced by Trump last month.
“Negativity won’t win a trade war. Our country, Canada, is strong. Our government is united and strong, and we will immediately get to work,” he stated.
Carney was elected leader of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party last week, making him the next prime minister pending a general election. Justin Trudeau resigned in January due to low approval ratings linked to inflation, a housing crisis, and economic struggles. In his inaugural speech on Sunday, the economist and former central banker promised to maintain Canada’s retaliatory tariffs until “Americans show us respect.”
“We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves,” Carney said, adding, “Canada will win.”
In addition to his repeated calls for Canada to join the US, Trump has also expressed interest in annexing Denmark’s Arctic territory of Greenland and reasserting US control over the Panama Canal.
