Carney Uses Humor to Describe Tense US-Canada Relations

Prime Minister Mark Carney recounted a lighthearted moment from his time as Governor of the Bank of Canada during a fireside chat at the Canada Investment Summit on Tuesday.

Carney spoke about receiving a key to the city of Fort Smith, his home town in the Northwest Territories. He joked that since people in Fort Smith don't lock their doors, he's not sure what the advantage is.

He then contrasted this moment with one from his visit to the White House in Washington in the spring of 2025, where President Donald Trump gave him a key to the White House. Carney recalled that Trump said 'maybe they'll shoot you' when he handed over the key.

This exchange summed up the current relationship between Canada and the U.S., according to Carney, who added jokingly that if the U.S. gives Canada a key, they won't shoot them, but welcome them instead.