Carney says Canada can stand up for its own sovereignty as European trip wraps up

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada can stand up for its own sovereignty in response to annexation talk from the U.S. administration as he wrapped up his first international trip.

Carney met with King Charles and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Monday evening after meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris earlier in the day.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Starmer, Carney was asked if he was concerned that allies should be more forceful in defending Canada as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to insist the country become the 51st state.

"I don't think one needs to respond to every comment about another country," Carney said in response.

"It's Canada strong, we can stand up for ourselves. We've called out those comments. They're disrespectful, they're not helpful and they need to stop."

Carney said the priorities for his trip were to strengthen economic and security ties with the two countries.

King Charles, Canada's monarch, hasn't explicitly voiced support for Canada's sovereignty in the wake of Trump's rhetoric. 

But the King has recently made a number of symbolic gestures to show solidarity with Canada. Charles wore his Canadian medals during a high-profile military visit, planted a red maple tree on the grounds of Buckingham Palace and gave his personal Canadian liaison and senior protocol officer in Parliament a sword.

Carney had a private audience with King Charles at Buckingham Palace before meeting with Starmer.

The prime minister was presented to the King inside the London palace, and explained to Canada's monarch that he did not have his Order of Canada pin because it fell off and broke on the tarmac upon his arrival.

Charles jokingly offered Carney his pin, but the prime minister refused, saying he is "not of that rank."

This is Carney's first official foreign trip since he was sworn in on March 14.

The trip to London is a bit of a homecoming, as Carney became the first non-British governor in the Bank of England's 319-year history when he took over the top job on July 1, 2013. He served until March 15, 2020. 

After leaving the palace, Carney went to 10 Downing Street where he met with Starmer. The leaders sat for photos before going into their meeting. They made brief statements but did not take any questions.