BBC News
During his first press conference since the federal elections, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has exercised his priorities, including how he will address the upcoming talks with US President Donald Trump.
His electoral campaign focused on defending the pricing plans and Trump threats to make Canada the 51st American state, which said Carney said that “never”.
The Liberals won 168 seats out of 343 in the House of Commons of Canada during the Monday elections, enough to form a minority government but below the 172 necessary for the majority.
The new Carney firm will be sworn in the week of May 12.
Here are three things that we have learned from Carney’s comments:
1. A strategic visit of the king
From the top, Carney announced an upcoming visit to King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who will visit Canada later this month.
“It is a historical honor that corresponds to the weight of our time,” he told journalists gathered in Ottawa.
Carney says he invited the king to officially open the 45th Parliament of Canada on May 27.
This demand is certainly strategic.
Carney said that the king’s visit “clearly underlines the sovereignty of our country” – a nod to the 51st remarks of Trump.
Trump also has a well -known admiration for the royal family. In February, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer used his trip to the White House to present to Trump a letter from King Charles offering to organize a second state visit.
The king is head of state of Canada and is represented in Canada by Governor General Mary Simon.
After an election, the new parliamentary session is generally opened by the Governor General, who reads the discourse of the throne on behalf of the Prime Minister. The speech, read in the Senate of Canada, defines the government’s agenda.
Although it is not unprecedented that the discourse of the throne was read by the head of state, The last time it happened was in October 1977 When Queen Elizabeth II read the speech for the second time. The first took place in 1957.
2. A Tuesday force test with Trump
Carney will visit the White House on Tuesday, barely a week after the federal elections.
His first official visit to the White House as Prime Minister is involved in the midst of the flavored ties between the nearby allies following the threatened and imposed Trump prices, as well as the president’s repeated comments on the manufacture of Canada in the 51st American state.
Carney said there were two sets of questions to discuss: immediate prices and broader relationship.
“My government will fight to get the best offer for Canada,” said Carney, clearly indicating that there would be no precipitation to obtain an agreement.
He added that high -level dialogue indicates the seriousness of the conversation between leaders.
He said he expects “difficult but constructive” discussions with the president.
He also said that he would strengthen relations with “reliable” trade partners, highlighting the recent conversations he had with world leaders in Europe and Asia.
3. An olive branch offered to rivals
Canada elections have highlighted divisions in Canada, along regional, demographic and political lines.
Carney said on Friday that Canada should be united in this “crisis once in life”.
“It’s time to come together on our team Canada sweaters and win big,” he said.
He offered olive branches both to Canadians who did not vote for his liberal party and to his political rivals.
While the Canadians voted for a solid response to Trump, they also sent “a clear message that their cost of living must drop and that their communities must be safe,” said Carney.
“As Prime Minister, I heard these high and strong messages and I will act on them with concentration and determination.”
He said he was determined to work with others, including those through the aisle.
Under the leader Pierre Hairyvre, the conservative campaign focused strongly on the cost of living and crime problems.
The conservatives arrived in second position, forming an official opposition, but Hairy has lost its own siege in the Ottawa region.
Carney said he was ready to call a special election that would allow Hairyve to look for another seat if it was the path that the Conservatives wanted to take.
“No games,” he said.
On Friday, an elected deputy in Alberta announced that he would resign his safe conservative seat to allow Hairyvre to run.
