Mark Carney

Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada is on a mission to break his country’s dependence on the United States and build deeper trade, defense and cultural ties with European and Asian powers. In a wide-ranging interview with New York Times journalists, he spoke in detail about the opportunities and limits of each of the major partnerships he is pursuing. A close review of his answers about Canada’s relationship with the European Union, China and India highlights that, despite credible plans to strengthen those partnerships, none is likely to offer a one-for-one replacement for the unique, vast economic relationship between Canada and the United States. For example, he acknowledged that the European Union’s economy was barely growing, but identified it as the top priority for Canada, saying the two were complementary in key ways; and he laid out the limits of Canada’s re-energized relationship with China. [to access the full story a NYTimes subscription is required]

• In related coverage: Transcript of NY Times interview with Mark Carney