International Desk //

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said that Canada’s long-standing relationship with the US is over. He made the comments at a press conference in Ottawa after a cabinet meeting on Thursday (March 27), according to the BBC report.

Carney said, “The old relationship that was based on deeper economic integration, stronger security and military cooperation is no longer there.”

He also said at the press conference, “US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs will require Canadians to think about their economy in a new way.”

Prime Minister Carney said, “Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs, which will have the greatest impact on the US.”

Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that a permanent 25 percent tariff on cars and their spare parts imported into the US would be imposed. The White House said the new tariffs would take effect on April 2, and would apply to businesses importing cars the next day. The tax on parts could come into effect in May or later.

Liberal Party leader Carney called the 1965 Canada-U.S. Auto Agreement the most important of his lifetime, saying, “The new tariffs have ended the effectiveness of that agreement.”

He added, “Canada can sustain its automobile industry if government and business work together to rebuild it.”

Carney believes Canada needs to build an economy that is controlled by Canadians and that includes rethinking its relationship with other trading partners.

He said, “It is still uncertain whether Canada can maintain a strong trading relationship with the United States in the future.”

Prime Minister Carney said he would change his campaign strategy for next month’s general election in light of the new tariffs.

The United States has already imposed a 25 percent tariff on all aluminum and steel imports. On the other hand, Canada has imposed tariffs on about 60 billion Canadian dollars (42 billion US dollars) of various US products.

Source: BBC

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