TORONTO (Realist English). Canadian Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said China cannot serve as a substitute for the United States, criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent diplomatic engagement with Beijing as relations with the Trump administration remain strained.
Speaking to business leaders at the Economic Club of Canada on Thursday, Poilievre laid out his approach to managing trade tensions with Washington, arguing that Canada’s economic future remains closely tied to its southern neighbor.
“Canada’s prosperity and security are inseparable from a stable relationship with the United States,” Poilievre said. He warned against what he described as a “permanent rupture” with Canada’s largest trading partner in favor of closer strategic alignment with China, which he noted Carney had previously described as the country’s most significant security threat.
The remarks mark Poilievre’s most detailed public statement yet on how a Conservative government would handle the ongoing trade dispute with the United States. Recent polling suggests many Canadians believe the governing Liberals are better positioned to manage relations with US President Donald Trump.
Political uncertainty has grown in recent weeks amid speculation that Carney could call an early election. However, the prime minister has already secured the defection of three Conservative lawmakers to the Liberal Party, signaling he may be able to strengthen his parliamentary position without triggering a nationwide vote.
The debate highlights a broader strategic question for Canada as it balances economic dependence on the United States with efforts to diversify trade partnerships in an increasingly polarized global landscape.