Carney says Canada's economic ties with US are a weakness that must be
corrected
[April 20, 2026] By
JIM MORRIS
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
said in a video address released Sunday that Canada’s strong economic
ties to the United States were once a strength but are now a weakness
that must be corrected.
In the 10-minute address, Carney spoke about his government’s efforts to
strengthen the Canadian economy by attracting new investments and
signing trade deals with other countries.
“The world is more dangerous and divided,” Carney said. “The U.S. 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. Weaknesses that we must correct.”
Carney said tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump have affected
workers in the auto and steel industries. He added that businesses are
holding back investments “restrained by the pall of uncertainty that’s
hanging over all of us.”
Many Canadians have also been angered by Trumps comments suggesting
Canada become the 51st state.
Carney said he plans to give Canadians regular updates on his
government’s efforts to diversify away from the U.S.
“Security can’t be achieved by ignoring the obvious or downplaying the
very real threats that we Canadians face,” he said. “I promise you I
will never sugarcoat our challenges.”
It’s not the first time Carney, who served as a central bank governor,
first at the Bank of Canada and later with the Bank of England, has
spoken about a shift in world power.
During a speech in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland, he received widespread praise for condemning economic
coercion by great powers against small countries.
His remarks brought a rebuke from Trump.
“Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said after the
speech. “Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
There was no immediate White House reaction Sunday to the address.
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Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney rises during Question Period on
Parliament Hill in Ottawa, April 15, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian
Press via AP, File)
 Carney’s comments came days after
securing a majority government following special election wins and
as the opposition Conservatives push him to deliver a U.S. trade
deal, which was among his promises in last year’s election.
A review of the current version of the North American Free Trade
Agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico is scheduled for July.
In his address, Carney said he wants to attract new investments into
Canada, double the size of clean energy capacity and reduce trade
barriers within the country. He also emphasized Canada’s increased
defense spending, reduction in taxes and efforts to make housing
more affordable.
“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 neighbors. We can’t control our future on the hope it will
suddenly stop.
“We can control what happens here. We can build a stronger country
that can withstand disruptions from aboard.”
Carney said simply hoping the “United States will return to normal”
is not a feasible strategy.
“Hope isn’t a plan and nostalgia is not a strategy,” he said.
Carney said Canada has “been a great neighbor” standing with the
U.S. in conflicts including Afghanistan, plus two World Wars.
“The U.S. has changed and we must respond,” he said. "It’s about
taking back control of our security, our borders and our future.”
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