Prime Minister Mark Carney says the decision by the U.K. government to invite U.S. President Donald Trump for a second state visit was their decision to make, but said Canadians “weren’t impressed” due to the ongoing “51st state” rhetoric at the time.
“They weren’t impressed by that gesture, quite simply, given the circumstance,” Carney told U.K. broadcaster Sky News in a sit-down interview after his new cabinet was sworn in. “It was at a time when we were being quite clear, some of us were being clear about the issues around sovereignty.”
Carney acknowledged he was not prime minister yet at the time the invitation was issued, being in the midst of the Liberal Party leadership race, but said the move by the U.K. “cut across” the Canadian government’s position.
During their first Oval Office meeting in February, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented Trump with an invitation from King Charles III for a second state visit to the U.K., a rarity for a U.S. president.
At the time, Trump was threatening tariffs on multiple industries in Canada and widespread duties on a number of products, while also saying he wanted to make Canada the 51st state.
Those comments from Trump continued for weeks, though they appeared to happen less frequently after the federal election campaign began. However, about two weeks before election day, as well as the day of the election, Trump repeated the sentiment.
Trump and his trade war was a major focus for Canadians in the recent election, with polling done exclusively by Ipsos for Global News showing it was one of the top concerns shaping voters’ minds.
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While Carney wouldn’t weigh in further on his opinion on the invitation himself during the Sky News interview, he did say while it is an “unprecedented” second state visit, Trump’s own presidency is also unprecedented as he is both the 45th and 47th president and that there are “many unique factors.”
Carney has not commented on his remarks to Canadian media so far.
Asked about Carney’s comments, senior British minister Pat McFadden told Sky News that every country had to decide how to conduct its relations with other countries.
Canada's existence 'not at stake'
Carney met with Trump at the Oval Office last week, his first trip to Washington since becoming prime minister.
Trump has not brought up the rhetoric since, though his tariffs on Canada remain in place.
Carney was asked in the interview whether Canada’s existence was still “at stake,” something the prime minister denied.
“The existence is not at stake,” he said. “It’s the most significant economic crisis, it has a heavy element of national security that comes with it, the extent to which we will be cooperating with others on our national security, particularly the United States. So the scale of the crisis is the economic crisis and the fact that the fundamental nature, in my judgment, in our judgment, of the global economy is changing.
According to Carney, Trump’s 51st state rhetoric had “shifted from the expectation to a desire for that to happen.”
“He was also coming from a place where he recognized that that wasn’t going to happen, I made it clear to him in that context,” he said.
King 'very receptive' to opening Parliament: Carney
The King will make his first visit to Canada since being crowned in two weeks when he opens the new session of Parliament on May 27.
The prime minister said he extended the invitation to the King earlier this year when he visited the U.K. and said Charles was “very receptive” to the idea. Carney confirmed Charles’ planned visit in his first press conference following his election victory, and said in the interview with Sky News the visit sends a message.
“I think His Majesty coming sends a message first and foremost to Canadians,” he said. “It’s clear it is a message of sovereignty, and I think one of the points I’ve made from the start when I first became prime minister is to emphasize that Canada is an amazing country, the best country in the world.”
Asked if the King’s visit has anything to do with Trump, Carney said while the desire to reinforce issues of sovereignty have been “accentuated” by the president’s comments, it’s more of a “reaffirming” moment for Canadians.
— With files from Reuters
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