Canadians rate U.S. relations as poor as ties with Russia, worse than links to China
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OTTAWA — Canadians say their relations with Washington are just as bad as ties with Moscow, according to polling that suggests an openness to improving links with China and especially Mexico.
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Just 16 per cent of Canadians polled by Leger say Canada has a good relationship with the U.S., compared to 15 per cent for ties with Russia.
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Meanwhile, 36 per cent of Canadians say Ottawa has a good relationship with Beijing, while the number ranks higher than 75 per cent for ties with Mexico, the European Union and the U.K.
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'When Canadians give their relationship with the United States such a really horrible evaluation, it's largely attributable to our expectations about that relationship, which are generally considerably better' than the current situation, said Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies.
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'To see it hit that level where we evaluate our relations with the United States as badly as we do our relationship with Russia — and assess our relations with China better than our relations with the United States — is really mind-boggling.'
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Leger Marketing surveyed 1,603 people from April 17 to 19 for the Association for Canadian Studies. It can not be assigned a margin of error because it was a panel survey.
Jedwab said virtually all of these sentiments can be attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump threatening Canada's sovereignty and economy, as well as those of other regions.
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'Donald Trump has done more to unify Canadians than any leaders since the post-Confederation period,' he said.
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Jedwab said it's notable that Canadians see themselves as having very strong ties with Mexico, just months after politicians like Ontario Premier Doug Ford sought to distance Canada from Mexico on issues like fentanyl trafficking and migrants.
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'There is a perception amongst Canadians that we're dealing with some of the same challenges as Mexico is, in terms of our respective most important ally,' Jedwab said.
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This week, Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di told The Canadian Press that Beijing is offering to form a partnership with Canada to push back against American 'bullying.' He suggested the two countries could rally other nations to stop Washington from undermining global trade rules.
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Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Who is attending the G7 summit in Alberta this week? A full list of the world leaders attending and invited
Canada will host more than a dozen world leaders at the Group of Seven summit in Kananaskis, Alta., starting on Sunday, with several pressing issues at stake both on and off the agenda. There are seven member states in the informal grouping of some of the world's most advanced economies, and five have new leaders since last year, including Canada. But in addition to those nations, the host also typically invites leaders from other countries and organizations to shape discussions and encourage global co-operation. Carney sets out foreign policy shift as G7 convenes under the shadow of Trump's trade war Prime Minister Mark Carney has already made waves with invitations that have signaled his economic and foreign-policy priorities and, in some cases, stirred controversy ahead of his first G7 leaders' summit. Here's a look at the world leaders who will attend the meetings in Alberta this week, and those who won't: U.S. President Donald Trump The G7 summit will mark U.S. President Donald Trump's first visit to Canada since he returned to the White House in January, launched a trade war and made comments about annexing the country. The summit comes as Ottawa and Washington continue to negotiate toward a new trade and security deal, and many other world leaders will be looking for face time with the President. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer This will be Mr. Starmer's first time visiting Canada and first G7 Leaders' Summit since his party's election victory last year. Mr. Carney announced Wednesday that Mr. Starmer will come to Ottawa for bilateral talks prior to the official summit. The two men previously met in March, during Mr. Carney's first trip abroad as Prime Minister. French President Emmanuel Macron Mr. Macron is currently the longest-serving member state leader in the G7. He has represented France at all seven leaders' summits since his election in 2017 (2020's meeting was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and this year will be his ninth. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Mr. Merz, who was elected Chancellor earlier this year, will be representing Germany at the summit for the first time. Since his election, Mr. Merz has plunged into diplomatic efforts to try to secure a ceasefire and keep Western support for Ukraine intact, as well as improve trade relations with the United States. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni This will be the third summit for Ms. Meloni, who hosted the G7's 50th leaders meeting in her country's Puglia region last year. She and Mr. Carney met for the first time last month when he was visiting Italy for Pope Francis's funeral. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba This week's summit is also the first for Mr. Ishiba, whose Liberal Democratic Party was elected to power last fall. The Prime Minister expressed his hopes for the summit and strengthening bilateral relations with Canada in a Globe and Mail opinion piece earlier this week. 'This summit will be a crucial milestone. To lead the international community from division to co-operation, we must maintain and strengthen an international order based on the rule of law, not power,' he wrote. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Mr. Carney, who took office in March, is technically the newest of all the member-state leaders coming to Alberta. But he is no stranger to the G7, having attended many conferences and meetings during his time as Governor of the Bank of Canada and then of the Bank of England. The Prime Minister has said the priorities guiding the summit are 'anchored' in building stronger economies. He will be seeking co-ordinated action in three areas: 'protecting our communities and the world,' 'building energy security and accelerating digital transitions,' and securing economic partnerships. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen The European Union is considered a 'non-enumerated' member of the G7 and sends either the president of the European Commission or the European Council to each leaders' summit. Ms. von der Leyen has served as Commission President since 2019, and was a long-serving member of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet before that. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi The decision to invite the head of a government accused of meddling in Canadian democracy — after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused 'agents of the Indian government' of orchestrating the killing of a B.C. Sikh-separatism advocate —has prompted backlash, including from within the Prime Minister's own Liberal Party. But last week, Mr. Carney said it made sense for India to be at the table, as it is one of the largest economies in the world and central to global supply chains. He wouldn't comment on the allegations levelled by his predecessor against India, saying 'the rule of law is proceeding as it should.' He said the invitation to Mr. Modi was extended in the context of continuing dialogue between law enforcement in both countries. Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico Ms. Sheinbaum accepted Mr. Carney's invitation to join the summit, and says her team is working to set up bilateral meetings with G7 leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. Mexico and Canada have both been targets of Mr. Trump's punishing tariffs, and the three countries are set to begin renegotiating the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade next year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Mr. Zelensky might get another chance to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alberta, as Washington continues to push for an end to the war that started with Russia's 2014 seizure of Crimea and escalated to a full-scale invasion in 2022. Their last meeting erupted when the U.S. President berated Mr. Zelensky in front of media in the Oval Office. Ottawa and its peers fear the U.S. is too obliging to Moscow and that a bad deal will only create more instability in Europe. Mr. Carney and Mr. Zelensky met for the first time last month in Italy on their visit for the funeral of Pope Francis. NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte Mr. Rutte, the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, will attend his first G7 leaders' meeting since he assumed office last fall. His visit comes amid rising pressure on some NATO member states, including Canada, to increase their defence spending to meet the organization's targets. President of the World Bank Ajay Banga Last year's G7 summit in Italy was Mr. Banga's first, and the former Mastercard CEO's attendance this year comes at a time of turmoil and instability as Trump's trade war shakes up global economies and markets. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Mr. Ramaphosa attended his first G7 summit in 2019, the year he took office, and has attended nearly all leaders' summits since then. His participation this year comes amid tensions with Mr. Trump, who ambushed Mr. Ramaphosa in their Oval Office meeting last month, falsely accusing his government of killing white farmers. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva This will be President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's third G7 since taking office in 2023. He has tried to partner with countries across the Global South while advancing democracy and environmental protections. He'll be taking those themes to the COP30 summit in the Amazon this November, which his office claimed this week Carney will be attending, though Ottawa has yet to confirm. United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will come to Alberta at Mr. Carney's invitation. Canada has described the wealthy Gulf country as 'a critical partner' in humanitarian efforts such as foreign aid projects and the resettlement of vulnerable Afghans. Sudanese groups have criticized Canada for not publicly calling out the UAE for its role in arming the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary the U.S. has accused of carrying out a genocide in Sudan. The UAE has strenuously denied involvement in the conflict. South Korea President Lee Jae-myung is eager to present South Korea as a stable, democratic country following a turbulent period that started with the former president declaring martial law last December. South Korea has long aspired to join the G7 and argues that its economic and regional clout is similar to that of G7 member Japan. Ottawa and Seoul have pledged deeper co-operation on maritime security, critical minerals and the environment. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who took office in 2022, is a willing partner for Canada as it tries to shore up its trade and defence links across the Indo-Pacific. In March, Carney announced a deal was in the works to have Ottawa partner with Australia on an early-warning radar detection system to use in the Arctic and across the U.S. border. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto Mr. Subianto will attend the summit after years of Ottawa pursuing deeper ties with Indonesia — a demographic and economic giant in the Indo-Pacific. Canada and Indonesia signed a free-trade agreement last year and Ottawa aspires to sell small-scale nuclear technology to the island nation as it helps to develop small reactors for northern Canadian communities. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith Ms. Smith is set to greet world leaders when they arrive at the Calgary airport for the G7 summit, host representatives from non-member countries at a reception, and hold bilateral meetings throughout the summit. The premier has already made international relations a hallmark of her administration. She made headlines in January when she visited Mr. Trump's Florida home prior to him taking office, in an effort to stave off his tariffs on Canadian goods. Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will not attend the G7 leaders' summit despite an invitation from Prime Minister Mark Carney. The development may ease some of the tension inside Mr. Carney's Liberal caucus, as some MPs were upset by the invitation. The MPs say India and Saudi Arabia are in violation of Mr. Carney's own G7 priority of 'countering foreign interference and transnational crime,' and therefore should not have been invited. China Beijing was not invited to attend the summit. China warned the Group of Seven members on Friday against 'manipulating' issues related to the world's second-largest economy for their own agenda, after they accused Beijing of unfair business practices a year earlier. Beijing's criticism of the G7 and what it represents comes amid a surge in global trade tension between the United States and China this year, as well as within the bloc's membership. Prime Minister Carney is also being urged by 10 pro democracy and human-rights groups in Canada to raise the plight of jailed Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai at the summit, and to join the U.K., U.S. and Australia in calling for his unconditional release from prison over a Beijing-imposed national security law. – With reports from Stephanie Levitz, Steven Chase and The Canadian Press
Montreal Gazette
2 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Opinion: U.S. vaccine funding cancellation is disastrous
With Donald Trump's second administration, disruptive news seems to arise on a daily basis. Most concerning for clinicians and health scientists in Canada and around the world was Trump's appointment of anti-vaccination advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the enormously influential position of secretary of health and human services. Kennedy's ideological dismantling of the U.S.'s vaunted health research apparatus has been at a speed that's surprising even to his most ardent critics. But his recent decision to cancel a nearly US$600-million contract with vaccine manufacturer Moderna may be among his most short-sighted and destructive moves, with ripple effects globally. The contract with the mRNA pioneer, signed under the Joe Biden administration, was meant to fund the development, testing and licensing of vaccines targeting particular flu strains, including the strain responsible for the dreaded avian flu, H5N1. Many scientists fear H5N1 could become the next world-stopping infectious disease pandemic. The main reason cited for the cancellation was concern for the safety and testing of mRNA vaccine technology. But the company's mRNA COVID vaccines are among the most tested and scrutinized medical products in human history. The withdrawal of the U.S. from efforts to produce an mRNA vaccine against H5N1 is indeed troubling. When it infects humans, H5N1 kills about 50 per cent of the time. Canada's only known domestically acquired human case of H5N1 to date was discovered in November. The current outbreak among dairy herds in the U.S. has spread to at least 17 states and more than 1,000 herds. The increasing number of domestic and wild animals found to be infected is worrying, suggesting that the dreaded mutation allowing easy human-to-human transmission is becoming more likely by the day. When that happens, many people will die, and many more will clamour for a vaccine. Luckily, we already have more than one licensed H5N1 vaccine based on older, non-mRNA technology. But their efficacy is largely unknown, and many of them are manufactured via incubating the virus inside live eggs. In the event of an avian flu pandemic, finding enough uninfected eggs to produce doses at scale could be problematic. More challenging is the lead time for manufacturing these traditional vaccines. At the very least, many months are needed, which is why the seasonal flu vaccine is often a poor match to circulating strains, resulting in middling efficacy. If an H5N1 pandemic is in our near future, it will not be possible to manufacture sufficient doses of the currently licensed vaccines quickly enough to protect everyone. The only proven vaccine technology capable of the kind of rapid production needed to quell a sudden pandemic is the mRNA platform. Five years of refinement over the course of the COVID era has afforded Moderna and Pfizer a kind of confident fluency in their development and deployment acumen. Other companies have since adopted the technology as well. Another consideration is viral mutation. If H5N1 makes the mutational leap to sustained human-to-human transmission, it will be because its genetic makeup will have changed enough to make that happen. In other words, the virus will be measurably different from that used to create the currently licensed formulations. The mRNA platform will be needed to quickly pivot to targeting the new viral formulation. It can do so with much more adeptness and fluidity than the lumbering egg- and cell-incubated vaccines currently stockpiled. Remember: the first COVID mRNA vaccine was finalized just 48 hours after scientists sequenced the genetic code of the virus that causes COVID. RFK Jr.'s decision to cancel this funding is short-sighted and seemingly driven by skewed and nonsensical anti-vax perceptions. It comes at a time when early clinical trials had already demonstrated the safety of Moderna's investigational pandemic influenza vaccine, called mRNA-1018. Perhaps this is an opportunity for other countries — such as Canada — to fill the funding void and claim the financial and societal benefits of this transformational technology.
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
U.K.'s Starmer to meet with Carney in Ottawa ahead of G7 summit in Alberta
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is visiting Ottawa today ahead of the G7 leaders' summit in Alberta. The summit starts Sunday against a backdrop of mounting tensions and violence in the Middle East triggered by Israel's attack on Iranian missile and nuclear sites on Friday. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is hosting the summit, will welcome Starmer tonight in Ottawa and the two will meet Sunday morning before both leave for Alberta. Britain and Canada have deep ties in defence, climate and culture sectors, but Starmer's visit comes amid strained trade negotiations. The two countries have been operating using an interim deal since April 2021 after Britain left the European Union. 6:28 Should Canada adopt new trade tactics? A year later, both countries launched talks for a permanent deal, but London suspended negotiations in January 2024. The two have been at an impasse, with Britain blocking hormone-treated beef from Canada and U.K. farmers calling for exporting more cheese to Canada. Story continues below advertisement Ottawa says the U.K. failed to negotiate part of the European Union's cheese-export quota in Canada when it left the bloc, saying Canada does not intend to open more of its supply-management dairy sector to the continent. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu met with his British counterpart Jonathan Reynolds last week, and only mentioned expanding trade in the temporary post-Brexit deal in Ottawa's summary of the talks. But Sidhu's spokesman says the two did discuss resuming negotiations. 'Canada has always remained at the negotiating table and we welcome the U.K.'s openness to resume talks,' wrote Huzaif Qaisar. 'We are actively working with the U.K. to address and resolve key trade irritants, strengthening our already strong bilateral relationship.' Both countries have also taken an increasingly sharp tone in statements about Israel's restrictions on food aid reaching Gaza and the expansion of West Bank settlements — statements which have prompted pushback from U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump, Starmer and Carney are all expected to arrive Sunday in Alberta.
