“The stakes are high. This referendum, it comes at the worst possible time. The world has become more dangerous and divided,” Carney said at a rally in Calgary, Alberta, ahead of Monday’s vote, which will see residents decide whether the oil-rich province should hold a referendum on Alberta’s independence from Canada. “There are some outside our borders who are working to break us, so they can own us.”
The U.S. and Canada remain in a contentious trade standoff after negotiations collapsed in August. Canada’s retaliatory tariffs came into effect last month, matching the economic pressure imposed by the U.S. Carney has encouraged Canadians to band together and take back their economic power by choosing Canadian products over those made in the U.S. The trade tussle comes after months of Trump repeatedly threatening Canada’s sovereignty—a move that has stoked tensions between the U.S. Administration and Canadian officials.
Carney admitted last month in an interview with the New York Times that he had studied the risk of a U.S. invasion given Trump’s charged rhetoric. “I think you have a responsibility in these roles to look at extreme tail risk,” he said. “That’s just risk management. That’s not a base case, but it would be irresponsible not to [prepare].”
However, experts tell TIME the pressure and rhetoric from the U.S. could actually work in Carney’s favor. “The effect of Trump's comments has been unifying,” says Lori Turnbull, a professor in political science at Dalhousie University. Despite discussions of independence in Alberta and Quebec, she says “there isn't widespread panic that the country is coming apart.”
With the U.S. and Canada locked in a trade stalemate, and with annexation threats once again dominating the conversation, here’s a look at the reality Carney is facing as he deals with both domestic and international pressures.
When Justin Trudeau was in office, he also had a contentious relationship with Trump, who would often refer to him as the "governor" of the "great state of Canada."
Trump’s economic actions and threats have proven to be far more damaging than his annexation remarks.
The U.S. is Canada’s largest trading partner, with almost $2.6 billion worth of goods and services passing across the border daily in 2024. According to the Office for the U.S. Trade Representative, trade between the two was down 4.6% from 2024 to 2025, but still saw $872.3 billion worth of goods and services cross the border.
“Our sovereignty is under threat. America’s unjustified trade war is an attempt to weaken us,” reads an online notice from Carney’s Liberal Party. As such, the government has vowed to enhance security against foreign adversaries, protect “Canadian values,” and improve the country’s infrastructure as part of the vision.
“If Quebec is on a path to separation or not, it would never be because they were looking for further alignment with the United States,” argues Turnbull.
The more immediate risk for Carney lies in Alberta, with residents preparing to vote on whether the province should hold a referendum to separate from Canada, following growing support for independence that saw more than 279,000 signatures gathered by July for such a vote. According to polling by Canadian analytical body The Writ, 70% of Albertans are in favor of remaining part of Canada, as of Oct. 9.
How Trump’s threats could also help Carney
Upon Trump’s return to office in January 2025, the President was quick to relay his desires to make Canada the 51st state, notably saying amid trade negotiations with Trudeau in February last year: “What I’d like to see; Canada become our 51st state…if people wanted to play the game right, it would be 100% certain that it would become a state.”
This falls in line with falling favorable views of the U.S. among Canadians. In July, 44% of Canadians surveyed had a favorable opinion of China compared to 33% of Canadians who held the same view of the U.S., according to a Pew Research Center survey.
Continued annexation threats could bring Canadians even closer together. “Already, trust is very low, and [more threats] would confirm even more that the United States is [perhaps] not a trustworthy partner at this time,” Leblond argues.
Carney’s resistance against American economic pressures could help the Prime Minister, particularly in possible separatist provinces.
Turnbull says the support behind Carney’s decision to walk away from negotiations prompted a strong sense of “patriotism and loyalty.”
Ahead of the vote, residents express their views with signs outside their homes in Edmonton, Alberta, on Sep. 28, 2026. —John Diep—Getty Images
Carney strengthens international alliances to end reliance on American market
In September, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen invited Canada to work toward becoming the bloc’s first “associate member,” in what she described as an “urgent” reimagining of partnerships.
He warned that“economic integration is now being weaponized, tariffs being used to exert pressure” and that “financial mechanisms have been used for coercion” in an apparent nod to the deepening trade war with the U.S.
Carney’s shift towards other partnerships “doesn't mean that Canada is not going to do business with the U.S., but it's no longer a preferred partner,” says Leblond, noting thatCarney wants to build relations with partners that “share the same values in terms of rules-based trade and investment.”
In January, after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Carney announced a new strategic partnership with China, focused on “energy, agri-food, and trade.” While meeting with Canada’s third-largest export market, Carney agreed to cut his country’s 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, including canola seeds, a major Canadian export.
These stronger international ties that diversify trade and security away from the U.S. are proving popular on the homefront, according to data.
According to Abacus Data, a survey conducted in September found that 49% of Canadians would support Canada joining the E.U., compared to 30% who would not. An Ipsos poll conducted in January in light of Carney’s visit to China found that 54% of Canadians also said they support stronger trade ties with China.
Hence then, the article about carney warns u s is trying to break canada as trump revives 51st state threat was published today ( ) and is available on Time ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Carney Warns U.S. Is Trying to ‘Break’ Canada as Trump Revives ‘51st State’ Threat )
Also on site :
- How Danny Bonaduce Is Turning Record Store Bargain Bins Into a Sweet Surprise for ‘Partridge Family’ Fans
- Kate Berlant on Her HBO Special ‘Parmesan,’ the Joke That Made a Man Flip Her Off and Her Next Project With John Early
- Ethan Hawke Calls Out Hollywood’s ‘Greedy’ Power Players: ‘Their Lives Are Worthless’