Canada is at 'critical moment,' King Charles tells parliament amid Trump annexation threats
"Many Canadians are feeling anxious and worried about the drastically changing world around them. Fundamental change is always unsettling," he said in the speech, switching between English and French.
The country was facing another "critical moment," he said.
"Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self determination and freedom are values that Canadians hold dear and one which the government is determined to protect," Charles added. "The system of open global trade, that while not perfect, has helped to deliver prosperity for Canadians for decades is changing. Canada's relationships with partners is also changing."
Charles said Carney and Trump "have begun defining a new economic and security relationship,' adding that this was "rooted in mutual respect and founded on common interests to deliver transformational benefits for both sovereign nations."
The monarch, still undergoing cancer treatment, is the nonpartisan head of state in Canada — a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies — but he did not write the speech. Instead, he read what was presented to him by Canada's government to lawmakers in the country's capital, Ottawa.
Among them was former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who wore green and orange sneakers with his suit.
"Every time I come to Canada, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream and from there straight to my heart," Charles said. "I've always had the greatest admiration for Canada's unique identity which is recognized across the world for bravery and sacrifice in defense of national values and for the diversity and kindness of Canadians."
Concluding his speech, Charles praised Canada as a "force for good" in the world.
"As the anthem reminds us: The true north is indeed strong and free," he said, earning a round of applause from lawmakers.
Before the speech, Charles was taken to the Senate of Canada Building in a horse-drawn carriage with Queen Camilla. There, he received the Royal Salute from the 100-person guard of honor from the 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment before entering the chamber.
Charles on Monday also met with Carney and Mary Simon, Canada's first-ever Indigenous governor general, who serves as the king's representative to the country.
Canadians are largely indifferent to the royal family, and it is rare for the monarch to deliver what is known as the Speech from the Throne. The last time was in 1977, when Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, read it for only the second time in her 70-year reign.
But Carney, who won a party race to become prime minister in March before he secured victory in Canada's election last month by vowing to stand up Trump, said in a statement Monday that Charles' visit spoke 'to the vitality of our constitutional monarchy and our distinct identity, and to the historic ties that crises only fortify.'
It was a change in tone from earlier this month, when he criticized Britain's invitation to Trump for a second state visit, saying it undermined his government's effort to project a united front against the U.S. president's talk of annexing Canada.
Since taking office in January, Trump has repeatedly said he wants Canada to become the 51st U.S. state, a suggestion that has angered Canadians and left the U.K. trying to tread a fine line between the two North American countries.
Charles has also made a number of symbolic gestures in recent months, wearing Canadian medals, planting a maple tree and referring to himself as the king of Canada.
Even so, earlier this month, Carney told British broadcaster Sky News, NBC News' international partner, that Canadians 'weren't impressed' by Trump's invite to the palace.
'It was at a time when we were being quite clear about the issues around sovereignty,' he said.
Charles will return to the U.K. later Tuesday, following the speech and a visit to Canada's National War Memorial.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump to make unprecedented second state visit to UK in September
LONDON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump will make an unprecedented second state visit to the U.K. between Sept. 17 and 19 when he will be hosted by King Charles II and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace said Monday. Trump, who is a big supporter of the royal family, particularly of the monarch, will be accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump during the three-day visit, the palace confirmed. No U.S. president has been invited for a second state visit. Trump previously enjoyed the pomp and pageantry of the state visit in 2019 during his first term when he was hosted by Charles' late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The invitation for the second state visit from the king was hand-delivered by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in February during a meeting at the White House. After reading it, Trump said it was a 'great, great honor' and appeared particularly pleased by the fact he will be staying at Windsor Castle, to the west of the capital. 'That's really something,' he said. Precedent for second-term U.S. presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W. Bush and Barack Obama. State visits are ceremonial meetings between heads of state that are used to honor friendly nations and sometimes smooth relations between rivals. While the king formally issues the invitation for a state visit, he does so on the advice of the elected government. The visit is seen as part of Starmer's effort to keep Trump close and lessen the impact of some of his polices on the U.K. The relationship between the two appears amicable, and has helped the U.K. from facing the sort of hefty U.S. tariffs that other nations are seeing. But like Trump's previous visit, it's unlikely he will be welcomed by all. Last time, a day of protests saw the flying of a giant blimp depicting Trump as an angry orange baby from outside Parliament. Lawmakers from Starmer's Labour Party have also questioned whether the honor should be extended to Trump at a time that he is supporting Israel's war in Gaza and threatening the sovereignty of allies such as Canada and Greenland. Charles could also face some challenges during the visit because he is head of state of both the United Kingdom and Canada, which Trump has suggested should become the 51st U.S. state. During a speech to the Canadian parliament in May the king highlighted Canada's 'unique identity' and 'sovereignty,' while echoing the words of the country's national anthem when he said 'The True North is indeed strong and free.' State visits to Britain are particularly prized by heads of state because they come with a full complement of royal pomp and circumstance, including military reviews, carriage rides and a glittering state banquet hosted by the monarch.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Germany Seeks Trump Tariff Agreement Extension as Deadline Looms
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on Sunday that he is working intensively with European leaders to prevent the implementation of threatened 30 percent U.S. tariffs on European Union (EU) imports set to begin August 1. Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Sunday for comment. Why It Matters The potential 30 percent tariff represents a significant escalation from previous negotiations, where the EU had been preparing for a 10 percent baseline tariff as recently as July 7. Merz acknowledged that "the German economy would be hit hard by the tariffs," highlighting the stakes for Europe's largest economy. The situation reflects broader challenges in transatlantic trade relations as President Donald Trump has regularly cited a goods trade deficit of about $236 billion in 2024 while pushing Europe to buy more American cars, energy, and defense equipment. What To Know Merz told German broadcaster ARD he had discussed the matter "intensively over the weekend with both [French President Emmanuel] Macron and [President of the European Commission] Ursula von der Leyen," and had also spoken directly with Trump. The chancellor emphasized his commitment to finding a solution within the remaining two-and-half weeks before the deadline. The current crisis stems from weeks of failed negotiations between the U.S. and its major trading partners. Trump threatened to impose the 30 percent tariff starting August 1, after comprehensive trade deal negotiations collapsed. This represents a dramatic escalation from the EU's previous goal of striking a trade deal with a 10 percent baseline tariff by July 9. The EU had been preparing for multiple scenarios, with European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill previously confirming to Newsweek they were "still aiming for a July 9 agreement in principle." However, negotiations have deteriorated since then. The EU has retaliatory measures targeting $22.6 billion in U.S. goods already approved, with another package covering $102.2 billion ready to activate if necessary. During meetings in Washington last week, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič received "the first draft of the (U.S.) proposals for the eventual agreement in principle," though one diplomat described it as offering "nothing very concrete." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had indicated Trump would be "sending letters to some of our trading partners saying that if you don't move things along, then on August 1 you will boomerang back to your April 2 tariff level." Internal EU divisions have complicated negotiations, with Germany and Italy favoring quick acceptance of deals while France and Ireland urge a harder line. The situation remains volatile, as Trump demonstrated by abruptly cutting off similar negotiations with Canada last week over a digital services tax dispute. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump posted separate letters on Truth Social on Friday to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo as well as von der Leyen informing them of the tariff rates: "We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and have concluded that we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's X message on Saturday: "A 30% tariff on EU exports would hurt businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic. We will continue working towards an agreement by August 1." She added: "At the same time, we are ready to safeguard EU interests on the basis of proportionate countermeasures." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told German broadcaster ARD on Sunday: "We want to use this time now, the two and half weeks until August 1 to find a solution. I am really committed to this." European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill told reporters last week: "Nothing you are seeing in terms of our approach to trade is haphazard. This has been war-gamed long before the election took place. And I think you can see that that's really playing out in real time." Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks with President Donald Trump before the start of the North Atlantic Council plenary meeting at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in The Hague on June 25. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks with President Donald Trump before the start of the North Atlantic Council plenary meeting at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in The Hague on June 25. LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images What Happens Next The immediate focus centers on the August 1 deadline, with European leaders racing to secure either an extension or a framework agreement. When asked about potential counter-tariffs as proposed by France, Merz indicated support but emphasized timing: "Yes, but not before August 1." The EU has prepared for diplomatic success and failure, having already positioned retaliatory measures while continuing to pursue negotiations. The outcome of Šefčovič's Washington visit is expected to be discussed by EU ambassadors and the EU Council's Trade Policy Committee this week.
Chicago Tribune
4 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
French President Macron announces 6.5 billion euros in extra military spending in next two years
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced 6.5 billion euros ($7.6 billion) in extra military spending in the next two years because of new and unprecedented threats, ranging from Russia to nuclear proliferation, terrorists and online attacks. The French leader laid out the spending plans in a sweeping speech calling for intensified efforts to protect Europe, and support Ukraine in its war against Russia's full-scale invasion. He said France will aim to spend 64 billion euros ($74.8 billion) in annual defense spending in 2027, the last year of his second term. That would be double the 32 billion euros in annual spending when he became president in 2017. ″Since 1945, freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously,' Macron said in the French president's traditional speech to the military on the eve of the Bastille Day national holiday. ''We are experiencing a return to the fact of a nuclear threat, and a proliferation of major conflicts.' ″To be free in this world, we must be feared. To be feared, we must be powerful,' he said. He insisted that France can find the money to spend more on the military even as it tries to bring down massive national debts. Conservative and far-right parties have supported greater defense spending, while left-wing parties accuse the government of sacrificing hard-won social welfare benefits for military spending. Europe is in danger because of Russia's war in Ukraine and wars in the Middle East, and because ″the United States has added a form of uncertainty,″ Macron argued. Other dangers he cited included online disinformation campaigns by unnamed foreign governments and propaganda operations targeting children, in ″the screen era.″ Macron also ordered France's top military and defense officials to start a ″strategic dialogue″ with European partners about the role that the French nuclear arsenal could play in protecting Europe. In an exceptional move, France and Britain agreed in recent days to cooperate on nuclear defense issues. Macron's speech came as U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to make an announcement about Russia on Monday, and the head of NATO is traveling to Washington for two days of talks. Trump last week announced plans to sell NATO allies weaponry that they can then pass on to Ukraine, which has been struggling to repel massive and complex Russian air assaults. Macron recently spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in three years, but remains a target of widespread criticism in Russia for his vocal support for Ukraine. The Kremlin argues that the Ukraine conflict is a consequence of Western countries' decision to ignore Russia's security interests. The head of the French military, Gen. Thierry Burkhard, laid out risks emanating from Russia that stretch well beyond Ukraine. Russia is disrupting trajectories of satellites to jam them or spy on them, is involved in undersea infrastructure sabotage, and leads disinformation campaigns in France and Africa, Burkhard said Friday. He said Russian attack submarines penetrate into the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and Russian military planes interact frequently with other aircraft over the Black Sea, Syria, the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche, urged more French spending on defense technology and better training of engineers and technicians. ″Big powers and certain proliferating countries are working secretly on quantum computers … that will be capable tomorrow of revolutionizing the battlefield. Do we want to stay in the game?'
