Paris – Prime Minister Mark Carney meets President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, France during his first face-to-face meeting with international leaders as prime minister.
Carney, who turns 60 on Sunday, will start his first full week as the Prime Minister, traveling to France and the UK for three days before finally returning to northern Canada in Iqaluit.
This was Macron’s invitation before Carney took the oath of premiership.
The two world leaders are expected to discuss issues related to European and Canadian security and trade diversification.
France has not yet ratified CETA, Canada and the EU have a free trade agreement, and Canada and the UK have talks on an independent free trade agreement are still on the ice.
Transatlantic measures include visiting the newly renovated Notre Dame Cathedral.
Later that day, Carney went to London to hold talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and held a private meeting with King Charles.
It is amid repeated threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, making Canada the 51st state and on the White House’s active tariff agenda.
Carney insisted on Friday that he did not need to seek allies’ assurance that Canada would be an independent country.
“We are the masters of our family,” he said, after sworn Friday. “We are responsible. It’s always good when people say good things to you, but we don’t need it. We’re not looking for it.”
He also stressed that Canada was built on the bedrock of the Aboriginal, French and British peoples.
Carney spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later Sunday and invited him to the G7 summit hosted by Canada this summer.
However, the prime minister has not spoken to Trump since he succeeded Justin Trudeau as prime minister a few days ago.
A phone call with the U.S. president is unlikely before Carney returns to Ottawa.
Carney spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday’s call about Canadian EU trade and defense.
This report from Canadian media is released for the first time March 17, 2025.
Kyle Duggan, Canadian media
