Mark Carney has said Canadian’s “weren’t impressed” by the decision of the UK government to offer Donald Trump a second state visit.
The invitation was offered to the US President by Sir Keir Starmer during a visit to the Oval Office in February.
Canada’s newly-elected Prime Minister said the invitation “cut across clear messages” his government is trying to send to the White House following Trump’s threat to annex the US’s northern neighbour.
He told Sky News: “I think, to be frank, they [Canadians] weren’t impressed by that gesture... given the circumstance. It was at a time when we were being quite clear about the issues around sovereignty.”
The Canadian prime minister has invited the King, who is Canada’s head of state, to open its parliament later this month in a “clear message of sovereignty”.
Reacting to Mr Carney’s comments, Cabinet minister Pat McFadden on Wednesday said he is “entitled to his view”.
Mr Carney said Canadians “weren’t impressed” by the decision and that the invitation “cut across clear messages” that his government is trying to send to the White House in response to their threats against Canada’s sovereignty.
Mr McFadden told Sky News the US relationship is “really important” but that “our relationship and friendship with Canada is really important too”.
Asked if he was disappointed with the criticism from the Commonwealth nation, Mr McFadden said: “We’ve got free speech in the world. Prime Minister Carney is entitled to his view.
“He’s got to decide how Canada conducts its relationships with the United States, and by the same token, so do we.
“So I’m completely relaxed about the comments, but I’m glad that President Trump is coming on a state visit, and I’m particularly glad that we’ve conducted a trade deal that saves thousands of automotive jobs in this country and is a platform for future trade which can benefit the United Kingdom economically more in the future too.”
