Canada's Carney makes statement by choosing Europe, not US, for first foreign trip

The prime minister hopes to achieve solid support as he visits the UK and France, writes Lyse Doucet.

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Also signalling support was King Charles, who planted a red maple tree on the grounds of Buckingham Palace and wore his Canadian medals during a high-profile visit to a naval warship.

Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney has arrived in Paris before heading to London on Monday - a day after his 60th birthday - for his first foreign visit hoping to achieve more than symbolic encouragement. He wants solid support from allies.

Not only is Canada being targeted, like Europe, by a raft of swingeing US tariffs, but Donald Trump is making it clear he wants to take over his northern neighbour.

Watch: Key moments on Mark Carney’s journey from banker to Canada's PM"We appreciate all the symbolic gestures but we need more public backing," a Canadian official told me in a voice which underlined the nervous disbelief shared by most Canadians – Trump is not joking when he calls Canada the United States's "51st state".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c798je778n4o

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