Canada has become the transatlantic partner of choice as geopolitical uncertainties make trust the most valuable commodity in international relations, Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said on Tuesday.
“What the world needs and wants today is trust. That’s the most sought-after commodity here, and I think Canada is seen as a trusted partner, I often say the transatlantic partner of choice,” he told Reuters in an interview before meeting U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the sidelines of the G20 gathering of finance ministers and central bankers in Asheville, North Carolina.
Canada was hit last month by U.S. tariffs of 50% on some C$28 billion of Canadian goods after the neighbours did not agree on new trade deal, prompting Ottawa to set dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs that come into effect next a week.