Canada at ‘critical moment,' King Charles says in parliament speech
PA Media/dpa
Ottawa
Britain's King Charles III has warned Canada is facing a 'critical moment' in its history, with the world a 'more dangerous and uncertain place' in a speech to open the nation's parliament.
Charles delivered an address written by the Canadian government that said Prime Minister Mark Carney's administration would bond with 'reliable trading partners and allies,' a move that follows US President Donald Trump's economic tactics.
Many Canadians have seen the king's two-day visit to Ottawa as a symbol of support for the nation that has faced the unwanted attention of Trump's trade war against his neighbour and threats to annex Canada.
Charles told the parliament 'self-determination' was among a number of values Canada held dear and the government was 'determined to protect.'
In only the second state opening of parliament speech delivered by a monarch, the king told the politicians gathered in the Senate Building the crown was a 'symbol of unity for Canada.' After highlighting worrying periods from the past, Charles said: 'Today, Canada faces another critical moment. Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the government is determined to protect.'
'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 are also changing,' he said.
'We must be clear-eyed: the world is a more dangerous and uncertain place than at any point since the Second World War. Canada is facing challenges that are unprecedented in our lifetimes.'
The king's two-day visit ended later on Tuesday and he began his final day with a carriage procession with the queen through the streets of the capital Ottawa. He said in his speech lasting 26 minutes delivered in English and French: 'The prime minister and the president of the United States, for example, have begun defining a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the US, rooted in mutual respect and founded on common interests, to deliver transformational benefits for both sovereign nations.
'In parallel, the government is working to strengthen its relationships with reliable trading partners and allies around the world, recognizing that Canada has what the world needs and the values the world respects.'
Earlier, the British king and queen processed through the Canadian capital in a carriage.
Charles and Camilla's horse-drawn landau was led by 14 mounted riders with 14 more behind as they travelled with Canada's first indigenous Governor General Mary Simon and husband Whit Grant Fraser.
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