Prime Minister Mark Carney is standing firmly behind his recent speech at the World Economic Forum, rejecting claims from the U.S. administration that he softened his remarks during a phone call with President Donald Trump.
Speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill Tuesday, Carney said his message in Davos was clear and unchanged. “To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the president, I meant what I said in Davos,” he said, adding that the address reflected Canada’s assessment of shifting U.S. trade policy and Ottawa’s response to it.
Carney confirmed he spoke with Trump by phone on Monday, describing the exchange as a “very good conversation” that covered a broad range of issues.
The comments follow remarks by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told Fox News that Carney had “aggressively” walked back parts of his Davos speech during the call. Asked directly whether he had retracted any of his remarks, Carney responded bluntly: “No.”
In his Davos address, delivered at the World Economic Forum, Carney warned against major powers using economic integration as a political weapon and argued that the global order that once governed trade and geopolitics is not returning. While the speech drew widespread international praise, Carney did not mention Trump by name.
Trump later reacted sharply, saying Canada “lives because of the United States” and issuing a public warning directed at the prime minister. Days afterward, he threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian goods if Ottawa were to pursue a deal with China, despite having previously described Canada’s agreement with Beijing as positive. Trump also referred to Carney as “governor” in subsequent comments.
Carney has repeatedly stated that Canada is not seeking a free trade agreement with China, maintaining that his Davos remarks were about broader global trends rather than a direct challenge to Washington.
