Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he had spent the past year preparing for what he described as an “extreme tail risk”, the possibility of US military action against Canada.
In an interview with The New York Times, Carney said he had considered the possibility of a US-led military invasion, while stressing that it was “not a base case”. He added that he believed it would be irresponsible not to prepare for such a scenario.
“I think you have a responsibility in these roles to look at extreme tail risk. That’s just risk management. That’s not a base case, but it would be irresponsible not to” prepare,” he was quoted as saying by The New York Times.
The remarks come amid tensions between Ottawa and Washington over trade and tariffs. Carney said he had considered the possibility of US military action but declined to discuss details of what such preparations involved.
Carney Says He Still Speaks ‘Frequently’ With Trump
Despite the tensions, Carney said he and Trump continue to speak frequently, including after trade negotiations between the two countries broke down last month.
He described their relationship as one in which both leaders can speak directly about their positions and issues facing the two countries.
“From my perspective, we have a good relationship in the sense that we can pick up the phone and talk to each other about issues. He’s direct. I’m direct in terms of where positions are. It’s much more efficient that way, and so you know that exists and that will continue to exist,” he said.
Carney also said Canada would continue looking for a mutually beneficial trade agreement with the US. He pointed to areas such as potash, a key ingredient in fertiliser, as a potential part of future negotiations.
Canada Looks To Reduce Dependence On US
Carney also outlined efforts to reduce Canada’s reliance on the US for critical technology and defence equipment. He said Canada planned to diversify away from Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network and was reviewing its planned purchase of F-35 fighter jets.
Canada is also looking at alternatives, including Sweden’s Saab Gripen, while Carney said he wanted Canada’s new defence spending to support the purchase of aircraft that perform well in the Arctic.