Carney calls for new US-Canada partnership to ‘help make America great again’
The Story
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a speech in New York, proposed a new relationship with the United States focused on sector-specific cooperation and strategic autonomy for Canada. The remarks come ahead of the July mandatory review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and follow US tariffs and Trump administration suggestions that Canada become the 51st state.
Key Facts
- Carney delivered the speech in New York on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
- He called for a “true partnership” reimagining cooperation in sectors challenged by global competition.
- Canada is diversifying away from the US and signing trade deals with dozens of countries.
- Carney stated the goal is to increase Canada’s strategic autonomy because “integration has been weaponised.”
- The political environment created by Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation comments helped Carney win the prime minister’s job.
- Carney set a goal for Canada to double non-US exports in the next decade, citing a chill in investment from US tariffs.
- He said: “Canada strong will help make America great again” and that specific proposals have been made to the US administration.
- Carney noted Canadian aluminum exports to the US are the energy equivalent of 10 Hoover dams.
- On automobiles, Canada is the US’s biggest customer.
- On critical minerals, Carney said Canada could be the most reliable supplier for US food, defence, and AI energy needs.
- Canada supplies 99% of US natural gas imports, 85% of electricity imports, and 60% of crude oil imports.
- Canada buys more from the US than China, Japan, and Germany combined.
- After Trump’s annexation threats, Carney described Canada-US ties as “weaknesses we must correct.”
- In January 2026, Carney referred to “American hegemony” in a Davos speech, saying integration with great powers created vulnerabilities.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
- Donald Trump, former US President (mentioned in context of trade war and annexation comments)
Sources: The Guardian
