Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for a "new partnership" with the United States, saying the global order is undergoing a "profound shift" in trade relations, Reuters reported.
In a speech in New York, Carney said that closer US-Canada cooperation should focus on strategic sectors such as aluminum, the auto industry and critical minerals, which he said are essential to the economic security of both countries.
He stressed that Canada aims to diversify its markets and double exports to other countries within the next 10 years, in response to trade tensions and new tariffs that have affected relations with the US.
Carney noted that Ottawa has signed over 20 economic and security agreements over the past year, as part of a strategy to strengthen the country's international position.
Referring to changes in American trade policy, he said the US has increased tariffs to levels unseen since the "Great Depression" (the greatest global economic crisis of the 20th century) - forcing Canada to reconsider its economic dependencies.
In his speech, Carney also mentioned recent political debates, including tensions created by President Donald Trump's statements regarding Canada, describing some dependencies as "weaknesses that need to be corrected."
He also stressed that, in a previous speech in Davos, he had warned about the dangers of "American hegemony" and the vulnerability of countries closely linked to major economic powers.
Despite his harsher tones in the past, in New York he maintained a more conciliatory approach, describing the US as a "dynamic, resilient and innovative" country, and emphasizing fundamental American values such as freedom, democracy and openness.
Carney added that the US-Canada relationship has always gone through disagreements, but has been strengthened in times of crisis.
