Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Liberal Leader Mark Carney shake hands as they talk after the English-language federal leaders’ debate in Montreal, Canada, on April 17, 2025. REUTERS
REUTERS
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said that China is one of the largest threats with respect to foreign interference in Canada and is an emerging threat in the Arctic. In a debate April 17 ahead of the April 28 election, Carney replied “China,” when asked to name Canada’s biggest security threat.
Asked to elaborate at a news conference in Niagara Falls, Canada on April 18, Carney said Canada has to counter Chinese foreign interference threats. He also criticized China for being a partner with Russia in the war with Ukraine and said it threatens Asia and Taiwan in particular.
Carney said China is the biggest threat “from a geopolitical sense.” “We’re taking action to address,” he added. The Chinese embassy in Ottawa did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In recent remarks, Carney suggested that Canada and the Chinese Communist Party do not share the same ideals when it comes to trade. “There are partners in Asia that we can build deeper ties (with) … but the partners in Asia that share our values don’t include China,” Carney said in a news conference, according to CTV News. “There’s certain activity that we could have with China. We obviously do have a large amount of trade with them, but we have to be very careful, very deliberate, and they need to meet Canadian standards,” he said.