Canada open to ‘deeper integration’ with U.S. in some sectors, Carney says

PM Mark Carney delivered an address focused on trade at Toronto’s Global Progress Action Summit. Jeremie Charron reports.

Speaking to a room of progressive policy experts in Toronto Saturday, Prime Minister Mark Carney offered some insight into what Canada has offered up ahead of an official review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) this summer.

“Canada remains open to deeper integration,” said Carney, whose government has so far signaled it is in no rush to negotiate a new deal.

“Like Mexico, Canada remains open to deeper integration, including options for fortress North America in (certain) sectors. And to be clear, those offers are on the table,” said the prime minister.

Carney made the remarks during his speech at the Global Progress Action Summit, where trade, tariffs and a changed relationship with the U.S. were among the key talking points.

“We need to build new trade relationships in order to move from reliance to resilience,” the prime minister said.

The Carney government has been clear about building new relationships with countries around the world, no matter the outcome of CUSMA renegotiations.

“Our goal is also to double our non-U.S. exports and so you see the prime minister going around and signing new trade deals across the world,” said Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, who spoke on a panel at Saturday’s event.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand echoed that sentiment in remarks following her panel discussion.

“This is the moment where countries around the world are looking to Canada for our continued leadership,” she said.

Progressive lawmakers from around the world attended the summit, including the former U.S. secretary of transportation who offered his view of the current administration’s trade policies.

“In practice America first has really meant America alone,” said Peter Buttigieg.

“(It’s been) a process of alienating friends and poking allies in the eye and dismantling some of the partnerships and friendships that in fact helped keep America in first place, which I think is the real aspiration of the American people.”