Mark Carney / Photo: Glavkom
On Thursday, 27 March 2025, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the era of the old relationship between Canada and the United States is over. The reason was the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, which, according to Carney, put an end to years of economic integration and close security cooperation. This was reported by The Financial Times.
Carney emphasised that the trade war initiated by the White House is forcing Ottawa to reconsider its economic strategy. “Relations with Washington, which were based on deepening economic integration, are no longer relevant. We have to look for new, reliable partners,” he said. The Prime Minister stressed that Canada will not sit idly by: the country is preparing retaliatory trade measures that “will maximise the impact on the US and minimise the damage to Canada”.
At the same time, Carney acknowledged that the Canadian economy is forced to adapt to new realities. This is especially true in key sectors, such as the automotive industry, where supply chains need to change dramatically to protect themselves from possible increased tariff pressure from the United States. “American tariffs will ultimately backfire on American workers and consumers,” he added, hinting at the long-term consequences of Trump’s policies.
This turn in relations between two countries that have been close allies for decades marks the beginning of a new era. Canada seems ready to diversify its economic ties to reduce its dependence on its southern neighbour. Will Ottawa be able to find a balance between confrontation and self-defence? Economists and analysts are already predicting a difficult period for both countries, as the trade war could leave losers on both sides of the border.
