Thursday December 25, 2025 | NATIONAL [Reporting from VICTORIA, BC | Posted at 10:18 pm PT]
Political analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Prime Minister Mark Carney sat for some year-end media interviews with CBC and Global.
The prerecorded interviews were aired on Christmas Day today, December 25 (the CBC interview first aired on December 21).
Topics included the trade war that the US has inflicted upon Canada, trade diversification, major national projects, the pipeline MOU with Alberta, floor-crossing by Conservative MPs over to the Liberals, and affordability for Canadian households.
Carney was keen to point out that all major national projects should be putting Canadian trade diversification (away from the United States) and this country’s national sovereignty as top priorities.
“We are in a lot better position than we were nine months ago,” said Carney as his opening remark in the interview with Rosemary Barton on CBC. He reminded that the US has “fundamentally changed its trading relationships with everybody in the world, Canada included.”
Trade diversification:
“We need to control what we can control. We can’t necessarily control Trump – I think everyone has figured that out, or the United States of America. What we can control is what we build here at home,: said Carney, highlight the One Canadian Economy Act (Bill C-5) which was passed in June 2025.
Carney defends making trade progress domestically and in terms of trade deals with nations other than the USA. “All of that puts us in a stronger position as a country, more independent, better future, stronger negotiating position with the USA,” said Carney.
“We have the best deal of any country in the world,” said Carney in his interview with CBC, referring of course to CUSMA and that presently 85% of Canada’s trade with the United States is tariff free. “We have unparalleled access compared to other countries, including Mexico — our partner in CUSMA,” said Carney. Discussion about the CUSMA (USMCA) agreement will start early in 2026 as part of a scheduled renegotiation of the current agreement.
The process for reviewing and renegotiating that agreement (including potential timelines — unfolding over the course of 2026) was discussed by Carney, US President Trump, and Mexican President Sheinbaum while they were together at the FIFA World Cup Final Draw announcement in Washington earlier this month. “There will be review and adjustment,” said Carney about CUSMA.
“US objectives do move around,” said Carney as to what is seen as President Trump’s unpredictability in dealing with Canada this year.
Affordability crisis:
In his interview with Global with Dawna Friesen, Carney indicated being aware of root causes of the affordability crisis, in that quick fixes aren’t really possible. He said he “understands the scale of this issue”.
Structural economic changes must take place. He acknowledges that the cost of basics is high for people “who can least afford it”.
He noted that the cost of housing will come down once Build Canada Homes gets up to speed.
He said in his Global interview that competition must be increased in order to get prices down.
Being prime minister:
Both CBC and Global continued a theme that is old by now… that Carney was not a politician before becoming prime minister, is he a politician now?
Yes, he is. He’s in the top job. Moving upstream through the political career track is only one way to get there.
As for being prime minister: “This job is relentless, it should be relentless,” said Carney with reference to the scope and multiplicity of the issues at hand and the challenges faced.
It’s not a partisan statement to say that having a prime minister with career credentials in national bank governance (Canada and Britain) and the workings of investment economics simply makes sense at this time for Canada’s economy and sovereignty.
PMO statement on his website:
On Christmas Eve Carney issued his own statement, both televised (and on social media) and in a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
===== RELATED:
- Prime Minister Mark Carney’s 2025 Christmas message: TV & text (December 24, 2025)
- Carney, Trump and Sheinbaum meet privately after FIFA announcement (December 5, 2025)
- NEWS SECTIONS: 45th PARLIAMENT OF CANADA | BUSINESS & ECONOMY | TRADE DIVERSIFICATION | CHRISTMAS SEASON