Canada’s Carney says Trump must stop comments before bilateral talks can start

OTTAWA - US President Donald Trump must stop making “disrespectful” comments about Canada before the two countries can start serious talks about future ties, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on March 17.

Mr Trump, who is promising potentially crippling tariffs against imports from Canada, frequently muses about

making the country the 51st US state

.

“We’ve called out those comments. They’re disrespectful, they’re not helpful, and they... will have to stop before we sit down and have a conversation about our broader partnership with the United States,” Mr Carney told reporters in London.

The remarks by Mr Carney are his toughest yet on Mr Trump since launching his political career in January. Mr Carney, who was

sworn in on March 14

, has yet to speak to Mr Trump and the US President has remained silent about his appointment.

Mr Carney said Canada wanted a more comprehensive discussion and negotiation of the two neighbours’ overall commercial and security relationship.

“When the United States is ready to have that conversation, we’re more than ready to sit down,” he said.

Canada has

retaliated with tariffs

against tens of billions of dollars worth of US imports. Mr Carney said Ottawa would only take action that it thought could affect US behaviour.

“So this will be very deliberate, and there is a limit, full stop. There is a limit to matching these tariffs, dollar for dollar, given the fact that our economy is a tenth the size of the United States,” he said. REUTERS