Canada PM Mark Carney: ‘Old Ties with US are over’ amid Trump tariff war

Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, declared on Thursday that the traditional relationship with the United States is “over.” He blamed the breakdown on a growing tariff war with President Donald Trump.

“The old relationship we had with the United States—based on economic integration and military cooperation—is over,” Carney said after meeting with a cabinet committee on Canada-US relations. He stressed that Canada will chart its own course. “We have agency, we have power. We are masters in our own home,” he added.

Carney and Trump have not spoken since the Canadian leader took office on March 14. However, Carney expects to talk with the US president “in the next day or two.” Despite the planned conversation, he gave no sign that relations would improve soon.

Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise. Trump’s administration recently imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian automobiles with non-domestic components. In response, Canada slapped tariffs on $41.9 billion worth of US imports. Carney’s government also plans to target another $66 billion in American goods if Trump escalates.

Although Carney has not revealed full details of Canada’s next steps, he promised a tough response. “We won’t back down. We will respond forcefully. Nothing is off the table to defend our workers and our country,” he said.

Carney warned that future Canadian governments will face a different relationship with the US. “It is possible that with comprehensive negotiations, we will restore some trust, but there will be no turning back,” he said.

In a bold political move, Carney called for a snap election on April 28. He seeks a stronger mandate to confront Trump’s aggressive trade policies. Trump, meanwhile, has urged Canada to become the “51st US state,” further fueling tensions.

Polls suggest a tight race between Carney’s Liberal Party and Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party. However, the Liberals’ standing has improved since former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned.

As the tariff war escalates, Carney’s leadership faces a major test. With no sign of Trump easing trade pressure, Canada’s next steps could reshape North American relations for years to come.