Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a video address released on Sunday that Canada’s strong economic ties to the United States were once a strength but are now a weakness that must be corrected.
In the 10-minute address, Carney spoke about his government’s efforts to strengthen the Canadian economy by attracting new investments and signing trade deals with other countries.
“The world is more dangerous and divided,” Carney said. “The US has fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising its tariffs to levels last seen during the Great Depression.
“Many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become weaknesses. Weaknesses that we must correct.”
Carney said tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump have affected workers in the car and steel industries. He added that businesses are holding back investments “restrained by the pall of uncertainty that’s hanging over all of us”.
Many Canadians have also been angered by Trump’s comments suggesting Canada become the 51st state.
