Prime Minister Clarifies Davos Speech to President
After a phone call with the U.S. President, the Prime Minister said he had clarified his comments from the World Economic Forum in Davos. He told the President that he meant what he said and that Canada was the first country to grasp the shift in U.S. trade policy.
During the conversation, the Prime Minister discussed a range of global events, from the situation in Venezuela to the conflict in Ukraine. He also highlighted Canada’s proactive stance on trade, noting that Ottawa is adjusting to the new realities and building partnerships both abroad and at home.
“I meant what I said in Davos,” he said, adding that Canada was leading the way in understanding the U.S. trade shift and that the country was responding positively by strengthening ties across the continent.
The Prime Minister explained that Canada has already secured 12 new trade deals across four continents in just six months, a move that impressed the President. He also outlined Ottawa’s broader strategy to diversify trade and reduce reliance on any single partner.
In his Davos address, the Prime Minister urged middle powers to unite against the influence of great powers that use economic coercion to expand their reach.
When a U.S. Treasury official later commented that the Prime Minister was “walking back” his Davos remarks, the Prime Minister shook his head and said “no” when asked if he had taken them back. The Treasury official also urged the Prime Minister to stop pushing a globalist agenda.
The Prime Minister told reporters that he had explained the recent tariff deal with China and the broader trade diversification plan to the President. He emphasized that the agreement was meant to resolve specific tariff issues, similar to actions taken by the U.S. government a year ago.
Earlier this week, the President threatened to impose 100 % tariffs on all Canadian imports if Canada struck a trade deal with China. The Prime Minister clarified that Canada is not pursuing a free‑trade deal with China; the agreement is focused on tariff resolution.
Critics have called for greater transparency. A foreign‑affairs commentator said it is “unacceptable” that Canadians learned about the call through foreign media and urged the Prime Minister’s Office to release a public summary whenever such conversations occur.
The Prime Minister’s Office has previously released summaries of conversations with the President, the last one being issued in August. In total, four summaries cover meetings with the President and one covers a meeting with the U.S. Vice‑President.
In addition to trade matters, the Prime Minister mentioned that the call touched on the review of the Canada‑United States‑Mexico Agreement on free trade, which is set to begin in earnest this year. He also discussed the situations in Ukraine and Venezuela, as well as Arctic security, though details were not shared.
Overall, the Prime Minister’s outreach underscores Canada’s commitment to building resilient partnerships and navigating a shifting global trade landscape.
