Carney calls US ties a “weakness” as Canada rethinks dependence

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is reframing one of the country’s longest-standing economic assumptions: that close integration with the United States is an unqualified strength.

In a video address released on Sunday, Carney argued that this relationship — once a stabilising force — now carries growing risks in a more fragmented global economy.

“The world is more dangerous and divided,” he said. “The US has fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising its tariffs to levels last seen during the Great Depression.”

“Many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become weaknesses,” he added. “Weaknesses that we must correct.”

The comments reflect a broader shift in Ottawa’s thinking. For decades, Canada’s economic model has relied heavily on access to US markets, underpinned by deep supply chain integration. That model is now being tested by a more protectionist turn in Washington, driven by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

Carney’s remarks suggest that Canada is no longer treating that shift as temporary. Instead, the focus is moving toward reducing exposure to a single partner — a strategy that carries both economic and political implications.

The tone of the message also taps into recent tensions between the two countries. Trump’s suggestion that Canada could become a US state has unsettled public opinion, reinforcing concerns about the asymmetry in the relationship.

Carney used history to frame the moment, holding up a toy soldier representing General Isaac Brock, who fought US forces during the War of 1812. “The situation today feels unique, but we’ve faced down threats like this before,” he said, drawing a line between past and present pressures.

Domestically, Carney is operating from a position of relative strength. His Liberal government secured a parliamentary majority in special elections earlier this month, giving him more room to pursue changes to trade policy ahead of a scheduled review of the US-Canada-Mexico agreement in July.

At the same time, the strategy carries clear direction. Carney has signalled interest in expanding ties beyond North America, including with China, as part of an effort to diversify economic partnerships.

The underlying logic is consistent throughout his remarks. “We have to take care of ourselves because we can’t rely on one foreign partner,” he said. “We can’t control the disruption coming from our neighbours. We can’t control our future on the hope it will suddenly stop.”

The message is less about breaking with the United States than recalibrating the relationship. But the shift is notable: what was once framed as interdependence is now being described as vulnerability.

Tags: Canada, Mark Carney, United States, trade relations, tariffs, Donald Trump, economy, geopolitics, USMCA, globalization