Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wasted no time making his stance clear to US President Donald Trump.
Carney, 60, who officially succeeded Justin Trudeau last month, addressed a crowd of supporters in Ottawa in the early hours of April 29, delivering a stark warning about the changing world order under Trump’s renewed presidency.
"Humility is also about recognizing that one of the responsibilities of government is to prepare for the worst, not hope for the best," Carney said. "As I've been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country — never."
He continued: "These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us — that will never, that will never ever happen. But we also must recognize the reality that our world has fundamentally changed."
Trump, who has been vocal about incorporating Canada into the U.S. as the "51st state," had previously mocked Canada’s sovereignty, even referring to former Prime Minister Trudeau as the "Governor of Canada" before Trudeau’s departure.
In a social media post on the day of the Canadian election, Trump urged Canadians to 'vote for him' — despite the fact that Canadians cannot vote for a U.S. president — promising that if Canada became part of the United States, it would see "taxes cut in half," "military power increased for free," and businesses "quadruple in size."
"America can no longer subsidize Canada with the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year that we have been spending in the past," Trump said. "It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!"
The message provoked swift condemnation across the Canadian political spectrum. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre fired back: "The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box. Canada will always be proud, sovereign, and independent, and we will NEVER be the 51st state."
Prime Minister Carney echoed that sentiment with a short but firm post on X: "This is Canada — and we decide what happens here."
In his victory speech, Carney expanded on his vision for Canada's future without relying on American partnership: "When I sit down with President Trump it will be to discuss the future economic and security relationship between two sovereign nations, and it will be with our full knowledge that we have many, many other options than the United States to build prosperity for all Canadians."
Carney urged Canadians to double down on supporting their own economy in the face of external pressure. "Now in the face of this crisis, united we are buying Canadian," he said. "We are exploring everything this country has to offer, we are supporting our friends and neighbors in the crosshairs of President Trump, through a crisis that we did not create."
"United we will win this trade war and build the strongest economy in the G7. An economy that works for everyone," Carney declared.
The G7 - a powerful group of advanced economies that includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the U.S. - faces significant tension with Trump back in the Oval Office and pursuing aggressive tariff policies.
Since returning to power, Trump has slapped a 25 percent tax on imports not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, further escalating the economic strain between the two North American neighbors. He has also taunted Canada publicly, framing the relationship as a financial burden to the U.S.
Carney, a former central banker, replaced Trudeau as Liberal Party leader in March and led the party to another term in government — although it remains unclear whether the Liberals will maintain a majority in Parliament.
He had previously hit back at Trump's comments about Canada becoming the "51st State", saying at a rally last month that America was "United in name only", before adding: "The Americans want our resources, our land, our water, our country… Canada will never be part of America in any way, shape or form."
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, once seen as a strong challenger amid growing dissatisfaction with inflation and immigration, conceded defeat Monday night and is projected to lose his own seat, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Despite the political tension, Carney ended his speech with a message of unity: "Let’s put an end to the division and anger of the past," he said. "We are all Canadian, and my government will work for and with everyone."
"No matter where you live, no matter what language you speak, no matter how you voted, I will always do my best to represent everyone who calls Canada home."