Former Conservative Leader Warns Carney, China Is Not a Substitute for the United States

More than a year into a bitter trade war with the U.S., Prime Minister Mark Carney has been actively seeking new trade partners, describing Canada's ties to America as a "weakness." In January, Carney traveled to China and signed a deal with President Xi Jinping allowing up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into Canada annually, in exchange for reduced tariffs on agricultural products, a significant shift from the 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs imposed by former PM Justin Trudeau in 2024. Now, former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole, newly appointed to Carney's 24-member Canada-U.S. Advisory Committee, is openly pushing back. "The substitute for a great American partner is not China," O'Toole said, urging Canada to stay aligned with the U.S. on a unified North American front. With the July 1 deadline for a CUSMA trade review fast approaching, and U.S. officials already accusing Canada of unfair trade practices, O'Toole says he joined the committee precisely to voice disagreement, calling it a "diversity of viewpoints."