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‘Canada doesn’t live because of US’: Carney vs Trump escalates | Top quotes from PM's Davos speech
Earlier, Trump had warned Carney to remember that Canada “lives because of the US” and that he should “remember that the next time he makes his statements”.
Tensions between US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have escalated over Ottawa’s reported refusal to pay to be on the Republican leader’s “Board of Peace” and Carney’s recent remarks targeting powerful nations for using economic integration as a weapon and tariffs as leverage at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Carney had accepted Trump’s invitation to be on the board, which was planned to oversee the rebuilding of war-torn Gaza. A government source told news agency AFP on Monday that Canada will, however, not pay to join the board. The US President later revoked the invite on Thursday amid tensions between the two leaders.
The Canadian leader’s speech irked Trump so much that he warned Carney, saying, “Canada lives because of the United States,” which was followed by another strong rebuke from Carney.
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Carney's firm response to Trump:
- “Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership. In the economy, in security and in rich cultural exchange. But Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian,” he said in response to Trump.
Top quotes from Carney's fiery speech in Davos:
- “Stop invoking the ‘rules-based international order’ as though it still functions as advertised. Call the system what it is: a period where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as a weapon of coercion.”
- “If great powers abandon even the pretence of rules and values for the unhindered pursuit of their power and interests, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate.”
- “The question for middle powers, like Canada, is not whether to adapt to this new reality. We must. The question is whether we adapt by simply building higher walls, or whether we can do something more ambitious.”
- “Middle powers must act together, because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
- “Great powers can afford, for now, to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity and the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not.”
Trump withdraws invite sent to Carney
The US President withdrew the invitation sent to Carney to join the ‘Board of Peace’ on Thursday.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump addressed Carney and wrote, “Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining what will be the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.”
Earlier, Trump had warned Carney to remember that Canada “lives because of the US” and that he should “remember that the next time he makes his statements” against the neighbouring country.
With inputs from agencies
