Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the White House on 6 May and had his first talks with US President Donald Trump, during which he bluntly stated that Canada is not for sale. Trump has previously proposed making Canada the 51st state of the United States.
“It is not for sale, it will not be for sale, never,” the Canadian prime minister emphasised.
To this, the US president replied, “Never say never”.
Asked by a reporter if there was anything Carney could tell him to cancel the duties imposed against Canada, Trump replied, “no.”
Mark Carney, a 60-year-old former central bank governor with no prior political experience, was elected leader of Canada’s Liberal Party in March to replace the retiring Justin Trudeau and was soon sworn in as Canada’s prime minister.
The Liberal Party won the election in late April. That said, just a few months ago, opinion polls were pointing to a possible electoral defeat for the Liberal Party, which has been in power since 2015. As observers agreed, this election was highly unusual because the main issue at stake, along with the economic situation, was the relationship with the United States. Donald Trump’s statements that Canada should become the 51st state of the United States, his imposition of duties on Canadian imports, which could trigger a recession in Canada, influenced the mood of many voters.