Carney and Trump are only at the beginning of redefining the Canada-U.S. relationship

Aaron Wherry · CBC News

· Posted: May 06, 2025 7:01 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

In 2013, erstwhile helium was moving to unseat a Conservative government, Justin Trudeau said determination were a "few precise large things the premier curate of Canada needs to get right," 1 of which was "building a constructive moving narration with the president of the United States."

That of people was agelong earlier the president of the United States was Donald Trump — long earlier adjacent the thought of a president similar Trump was remotely fathomable. (Trudeau's disapproval astatine the clip was that Stephen Harper had bungled the narration with Barack Obama, to the detriment of the Keystone XL pipeline.)

In 2025, amid the world of Trump's 2nd term, the question for the caller premier curate is what that "constructive moving relationship" should look similar present — oregon adjacent however constructive immoderate narration tin perchance be.

Two days earlier Mark Carney went to the White House, Trump was asked by the big of Meet the Press whether helium would see utilizing subject unit against this country. He did not accidental the thought was unthinkable oregon preposterous oregon abhorrent. He simply said helium thought it was "highly unlikely."

WATCH | Carney says Canada volition 'never' beryllium for sale: 

In 2013, that benignant of remark mightiness person dominated each treatment for days. In 2025, it merits lone passing attention.

Mere moments earlier Carney arrived connected Tuesday, Trump posted to his ain societal media level the mendacious assertion that the United States is "subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year." Repeating his insistence that commercialized with Canada is mostly unnecessary, Trump wrote that, "We don't request their Cars, we don't request their Energy, we don't request their Lumber, we don't request ANYTHING they have, different than their friendship."

Then came the made-for-television spectacle of an Oval Office gathering — the contrived appearances earlier the cameras that person go objects of acute fascination since Trump and assorted members of his furniture berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy successful February.

The Oval Office show

In betwixt taking recognition for the Liberal Party's predetermination effect and boasting astir however the Oval Office had been redecorated, Trump was complimentary toward Carney. Carney, successful turn, referred to Trump arsenic a "transformational president" — a neatly chosen adjective — and stressed that Canada and the United States were "stronger erstwhile we enactment together." 

Over the people of the fractional hr that ensued — as Trump talked astir not conscionable Canada, but assorted different topics, including his grievances with Trudeau and erstwhile overseas affairs curate Chrystia Freeland — Carney seemed to beryllium deciding successful existent clip however to locomotion the enactment betwixt sticking up for his state and provoking a televised blow-up. But the premier curate was seemingly prepared to powerfully marque astatine slightest 1 constituent if — oregon rather, erstwhile — Trump reiterated his tendency to marque Canada the 51st state.

"If I may," Carney said, "as you cognize from existent estate, determination are immoderate places that are ne'er for sale."

"That's true," Trump said, seemingly charmed by Carney's entreaty to his erstwhile career.

"And having met with the owners of Canada implicit the people of the campaign, the past respective months, it's not for sale, won't beryllium for merchantability ever."

Twenty minutes later, aft Trump had declined to fto the substance driblet wholly — "never accidental never," helium said astatine a mates points — Carney underlined his point.

"Respectfully," Carney said, "Canadians' presumption connected this is not going to change." 

There were different moments of subtle pushback, but the header infinitesimal of the time was understandably the prime minister's connection that this state is not for merchantability — a connection that was singular for the information that it adjacent needed to beryllium said.

There is lone everything other that needs to beryllium settled.

'Redefining the relationship'

However antithetic the occupant of the Oval Office, the basal economical and information realities stay the same. And truthful determination remains a request for this state and its premier curate to support a moving narration with the United States and its president.

Even successful a satellite wherever Canada builds caller alliances and diversifies its trade, it volition inactive beryllium indispensable — and preferable — for Canada and the United States to enactment unneurotic successful immoderate capableness (more than apt immoderate important capacity).

But the caller parameters of that narration are inactive unclear.

WATCH | Carney says closed-door gathering covered galore topics: 

Asked whether determination was thing Carney could bash to person the United States to driblet its tariffs connected Canadian goods, Trump simply said, "no." Asked what concessions helium was seeking from Canada, Trump lone said, "friendship."

Trump suggested helium wanted to get to a spot wherever the United States did not acquisition immoderate vehicles that were made successful Canada — something that would seemingly necessitate the implicit disentanglement of a wholly integrated car sector. The president said helium didn't privation to import immoderate alloy oregon aluminum from Canada. He referred to the commercialized woody helium signed with Canada successful Mexico successful 2019 arsenic some "good" and "transitional." 

At the precise least, Trump seemed kindly disposed toward his country's bluish neighbour.

"Regardless of anything, we're going to beryllium friends with Canada," helium said.

Not each Canadians would wholly hold with that sentiment close now. 

Speaking to reporters astatine the Canadian Embassy aft a moving luncheon with the president and his team, Carney said the 2 sides had a "very constructive" and "wide-ranging" discussion. He said helium was "heartened" by however "concrete" the speech was.

But Carney besides began his media availability by saying that, "really contiguous marked the extremity of the opening of a process of the United States and Canada redefining that narration of moving together." In summation to underlining his cardinal premise — that Canada's aged narration with the United States is "over" — this was a passing notation to thing Winston Churchill said aft the Second Battle of El Alamein, an allied triumph that came erstwhile the Second World War was inactive 3 years distant from being over.

In different words, determination is simply a agelong mode to spell — and overmuch much to fig retired than could perchance beryllium settled successful a azygous day astatine the White House.