Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has described as a betrayal President Donald Trump’s repeated suggestion of annexing Canada to the US and the imposition of tariffs on certain Canadian goods.
Speaking at his first news conference since an election dominated by Donald Trump’s threats to Canada’s sovereignty, the Prime Minister also confirmed he would meet the US President at the White House on Tuesday.
“As I’ve stressed repeatedly, our old relationship, based on steadily increasing integration, is over,” he said, adding he would “fight” to get the best deal for the country.
“The questions now are how our nations will cooperate in the future.”
Carney’s Liberals are set to form a minority government following Monday’s election, and are projected to hold at least 168 seats, with recounts pending in at least two electoral districts.
The Conservatives will form the Official Opposition with a projected 144 seats, while the Bloc Québécois won 23, the progressive New Democrat Party seven, and the Greens one.
Carney praised the strength of the country’s democracy amid high turnout, telling reporters all party leaders “quickly and graciously” accepted the results.
The Prime Minister said he would call a by-election immediately after the Conservatives decide which Member of Parliament will step aside to give leader Pierre Poilievre—who failed to win his own seat—the chance to run for a new seat.
“No games,” he said.
However, Carney rejected the idea of signing a formal pact with the NDP to guarantee the survival of his minority government, as his predecessor Justin Trudeau did following his narrow electoral victory in 2021.
Carney said the Liberals had received a strong mandate “and the most votes in Canadian history”, adding: “Canadians elected a new government to stand up to President Trump and build a strong economy.”
