TEHRAN – Canada is taking concrete steps to diversify its international relations as Canadian officials, particularly Prime Minister Mark Carney, have come to realize that the United States, especially under Donald Trump, is no longer a predictable or reliable partner.
Canada began distancing itself from Washington after Trump launched a trade war against Ottawa and went so far as to repeatedly describe Canada as the United States’ 51st state. The remarks sent shockwaves across Canada, challenging the country’s longstanding assumptions about its relationship with its southern neighbor.
Carney, who succeeded Justin Trudeau as prime minister amid growing tensions with Washington, has recognized that placating Trump is not a viable strategy. Instead, he has firmly decided to look beyond the United States, undertaking diplomatic visits to India, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany and several other European countries.
These visits are part of a broader effort to diversify Canada’s economic, trade and security partnerships and reduce its dependence on the United States.
Trump’s repeated references to Canada as a potential 51st U.S. state have also jolted Washington’s allies in Europe and beyond, raising questions about the reliability of American commitments to its friends and partners.
In an interview with the New York Times on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 27, Carney said Canada must strengthen its economic and strategic independence because its longstanding integration with the United States can no longer be taken for granted.
Carney acknowledged that Trump’s statements about making Canada the 51st U.S. state were not merely rhetorical concerns. He disclosed that his government had examined the possibility of U.S. military action as an “extreme-risk scenario.”
The prospect of existential threats against a neighboring country, longstanding friend and military ally is difficult to comprehend.
Carney also revealed that negotiations with Washington had involved proposals that could undermine Canada’s economic sovereignty, language rights and cultural rights. He described these matters as red lines that Ottawa would not cross.
The Canadian prime minister, a former central banker, also argued that the global financial system’s heavy dependence on the U.S. dollar was becoming increasingly unsustainable. He voiced support for a more diversified international monetary system involving multiple reserve currencies, saying such an arrangement would provide countries with greater flexibility.
Many analysts and governments have long warned that the Trump administration is weaponizing the dollar and Washington’s dominant position in the global financial system.
Carney told the Times that countries were increasingly reconsidering their dependence on the dollar, partly because Washington had used its financial dominance and sanctions powers as instruments of political and economic pressure.
If Trump is prepared to treat a neighboring country and longstanding ally in this manner, one can only imagine how he might deal with other countries.
In a November 2 commentary titled “Canada-EU alliance signals a shift in portfolio diversification strategy,” Wealth Professional said that a summit in Montreal had brought Carney and senior European Union officials closer together on trade, defense and critical minerals. The commentary also highlighted Carney’s commitment to pursuing associate membership for Canada in the 27-member bloc by June 2027.
“Today, we move towards associate membership for Canada, and we launch a new alliance for the future that will deliver now and in the future with like-minded nations,” Carney said at a closing press conference on October 30. “We’re just getting started.”
Through such partnerships, Carney is demonstrating that the world does not revolve around the United States and that countries have alternatives to Washington. Although some may argue that American foreign policy could return to a more predictable course after Trump’s presidency, governments around the world have realized that they must change their approach and reconsider their dependence on Washington. The United States can no longer automatically count on being regarded as a reliable partner, even by its closest friends and allies.
Trump’s erratic decisions and controversial statements are too numerous to list. During his first term, he withdrew from the hard-won 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which had been endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, and launched his so-called “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. He took this unilateral step despite warnings and objections from Washington’s European allies.
During his second presidency, following Joe Biden’s four-year term, Trump went beyond maximum pressure and joined Israel in launching an unwarranted war against Iran.
The surprise U.S.-Israeli military aggression against Iran, which began on February 28, shocked the international community. Washington did not even consult its European allies before launching the attack. The aggression also came amid indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, mediated by Oman.
The war has inflicted enormous economic costs on the international community, particularly after Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies passes.
From its implicit threats against Canada and its open threats to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO and EU member, to its military aggression against Iran, Trump’s conduct should serve as a wake-up call to the international community.
The message is clear: no country, however close its ties with Washington, should trust American commitments. Trump’s approach to international relations, and the thinking of those who share his worldview, poses a challenge not only to America’s foes but also to its traditional allies. The rest of the world must recognize this reality and prepare accordingly.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: tehrantimes.com
