Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom says Canada has everything the world needs and has an opportunity to become a "energy superpower."
Ralph Goodale made the comment while talking about Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent four day trip to London, where he met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other leaders from Australia, Iceland, and Spain to talk trade and defence.
Goodale says Carney also talked to international investors, pitching Canada as a place to invest and do business with.
"Every one of them said that they were encouraged by the policy direction being taken by the Carney government and that they were looking very favorably at Canada as a place to invest and do business and encourage growth and productivity and innovation for the future." he said.
Goodale says the Prime Minister's background as the former governor of the Banks of Canada and England gives him an easier path to strengthen trade with the U.K. and other countries, but emphasized talks need to be backed by results.
"We need to get to the stage of signing contracts…and building the infrastructure that gets to the mine sites and actually doing business in critical minerals around the world rather than continuing just to have a good conversation about it. And that's the kind of thing that prime ministerial engagement can do." Goodale said, adding Prime Minister Carney has been "very inclusive of all of Canada" when discussing various resources the country has to offer.
"So Canadians can have confidence that they're being represented at that table. For example, in his conversation with Prime Minister Starmer of the U.K., he raised Canada's food production capacity, our first-class beef products, for example, and the need for a more expansive approach to trade between Canada and the U.K. so that our farmers and ranchers can expand their markets around the world."
Asked if the trip is going to lead to any concrete deals made in the future, Goodale says it takes more than one to make progress.
"It's an effort that just requires constant attention. So yes, this visit by the prime minister, talking to key investors, talking to key international leaders, I think it undoubtedly helped to move the dial forward and it will be followed up. For example, in two weeks, the Minister of Natural Resources (Tim) Hodgson, will be in London specifically to talk about critical minerals and nuclear power. Those are two areas that are huge Canadian assets. We have a lot to offer to the world and he will be here pursuing the leads that were developed by the prime minister and trying again to move that conversation toward specific agreements, transactions, and deals that will be good for Canada."
Carney's trip comes at a time when Canada is trying to become less reliant on the United States.
