Canada has been 'over reliant on the US for too long', says Joly
www.bbc.com
Canada's foreign minister told BBC News that her country wants to be closer to the UK and the EU.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/34120777

Canada has been “over reliant on the US for too long,” and wants to forge closer ties with the UK and the EU, Canada’s foreign minister Melanie Joly said.

“We are the most European of all non-European countries,” she told the BBC on Wednesday. “That’s why we want to be closer to Europe.”

Her latest remarks come after she and Prime Minister Mark Carney met with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday to talk about a new partnership.

US-Canada relations have been tense in recent months, after Trump imposed tariffs on Canada’s auto, aluminium and steel industries, and said Canada would be better off as a US state.

[…]

Trump has imposed general tariffs of 25% on Canada and Mexico, and sector-specific import taxes on cars, some of which have been suspended pending negotiations.

[…]

Joly said the tariffs caused widespread anxiety in Canada, and became the number one ballot question in the recent Canadian election.

“Some have lost their jobs, and many families are affected,” she said. “My job and the prime minister’s job is to make sure that we defend them.”

[…]

According to Statistics Canada, Canadian exports to the United States decreased 6.6% in March 2025, a second consecutive monthly decline following the strong ramp up in exports to the United States that led to a record in January. Despite the recent decreases, Canadian exports to the United States were 2.5% higher in March 2025 compared with November 2024. Meanwhile, imports from the United States fell 2.9% in March. Canada’s merchandise trade surplus with the United States went from $10.8 billion in February to $8.4 billion in March. Meanwhile, exports to countries other than the United States jump

Canadian exports to countries other than the United States rose 24.8% in March, representing the second-largest percentage increase on record. Exports to the United Kingdom (unwrought gold), the Netherlands (crude oil), Hong Kong (crude oil) and Germany (various products) increased the most for the month.

[…]

  • Archangel@lemm.ee
    28·
    22 days ago

    Canada also plans to host the G7 summit in June, which Trump is expected to attend.

    He’s a convicted felon. Canada should deny his entry.

  • MyMotherIsAHamster@lemmy.ca
    26·
    22 days ago

    Every time I hear Ms. Joly speak, I’m impressed, and she’s absolutely right - fuck Trump, bring on the EU and the UK

    • bowreality@lemmy.ca
      8·
      22 days ago

      She is great isn’t she! I feel like we have a strong team there battling front line for us owners of Canada.

      • MyMotherIsAHamster@lemmy.ca
        4·
        22 days ago

        I assume she meant that our values align fairly closely with a lot of Europe, but it definitely sounded a little awkward.

        • PandaParent@lemmy.caEnglish
          4·
          21 days ago

          Carney said the same to Emmanuel Macron during his visit to France at the end of March. He’s referring to Canada’s French and English heritage. That doesn’t necessarily make us “European” but he definitely wants to remind both countries of our historical ties.

  • dubyakay@lemmy.ca
    37·
    21 days ago

    Melanie Joly is a genocide enabler. The centre-right Liberal Party of Canada has all the power to pressure Zionist Israel. But people in power like Joly, along with the “Minister of Canadian Culture” Guilbeault and the PM are completely silent on the issue.

    Don’t be mistaken, our last election in Canada was not about voting for progress. It was about voting for the lesser of two evil and hoping on Maple MAGA eating itself alive in the interim.