Sawt Falasteen - Canada PM backs 'fortress North America' ahead of US trade talks

Carney's address to financial leaders in New York comes amid persistent acrimony between his government and US President Donald Trump's administration.

Carney has been one of the most prominent critics of Trump's leadership, but on Thursday sought to emphasize the benefit of regional economic integration ahead of a July 1 deadline to revise the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

"Canada Strong will help Make America Great Again," Carney told the Economic Club of New York, referencing both his and Trump's campaign slogans.

"While Canada and the United States have had our differences over the centuries, we have always worked and eventually worked through them because we share values and our common interests run deep."

He reminded the room packed with US financial leaders that "Canada is America's largest customer," buying more US goods "than China, Japan and Germany combined."

Mexican officials on Wednesday announced the start of direct talks with the United States on revising the USMCA.

Trump's top trade officials have made clear that progress with Canada has been slower and bristled at what they see as Carney's anti-Trump grandstanding on the global stage, including the prime minister's widely praised speech at January's World Economic Forum where Carney declared a "rupture" in the US-led world order.

Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer in a speech last month called Carney "superior" and suggested his "ego" was driving decisions.

He drew a contrast with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who Switzer said was focused on having a positive economic relationship with the United States.

Since taking office last year, Carney has warned Canadians that their economic dependence on the United States had become a vulnerability and on Thursday reiterated his goal to double non-US exports over the coming decade.

But his government has maintained it wants as much free trade with the United States as possible.

"A fortress North America," he said, "is in everyone's interest."

U.AlSharif--SF-PST