Kuala Lumpur, October 26, 2025 – The Europe Today: The old British wartime maxim “keep calm and carry on” took on renewed significance Sunday as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the opening session of the ASEAN Summit, urging South and Southeast Asian leaders to value “reliable partners who honour their commitments.”
Carney’s remarks, delivered in Malaysia, came amid escalating tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently vowed to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Canadian goods. The move was in retaliation for Ontario government television ads quoting former U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s criticism of protectionist trade policies.
While the Canadian leader avoided direct mention of Trump, his speech included several pointed observations about the importance of trust and consistency in international relations. “We have all been reminded of the importance of reliable partners — who honour their commitments, who are there in tough times, and who engage collaboratively to fix something that isn’t working,” Carney told the 11 ASEAN member states gathered in Kuala Lumpur.
“Canada is such a partner, a dependable partner, and I have come to Kuala Lumpur to say clearly that we want to play a bigger role in this region,” he added.
The address served as both a reaffirmation of Canada’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and a subtle rebuke of recent U.S. trade actions. The Liberal government is currently pursuing a free trade agreement with the ASEAN bloc, with hopes to finalize the deal next year.
“Like ASEAN, Canada values the rules-based system. We respect trade agreements and the rule of law,” Carney said. “We believe in the value of the free exchange of goods, capital, and ideas.”
Carney noted that the global economy is undergoing a profound transformation, warning that “multilateral trade liberalisation is giving way to transactional, and managed bilateral trade and investment.”
In Ottawa, Dominic Leblanc, Canada’s Minister of U.S.-Canada Trade, echoed the prime minister’s stance in a social media post late Saturday, emphasizing that Canada “will carry on and be ready whenever the U.S. wants to resume trade negotiations.”
Hopes for a sideline meeting between Carney and Trump at the summit were dashed after the U.S. president stated he had “no interest” in discussions.
Goldy Hyder, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, urged unity among Canadian leaders as tensions rise. “In a trade war you need a general, not 13 of them,” Hyder said, calling on Carney to maintain coherence among provincial premiers. He also warned that American dissatisfaction “runs deeper than Trump’s reaction to the ad,” pointing to broader disputes — including Canada’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim used his opening speech at the summit to underscore the value of cooperation amid global volatility. “Across regions, we see rising contestation of growing uncertainty,” Ibrahim said. “These crosswinds test not only our economics, but our collective resolve to keep faith in cooperation, to believe that understanding and dialogue can still prevail.”
President Trump, who also attended the summit, received an enthusiastic welcome in Kuala Lumpur, where he presided over the formal signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia — a deal his administration helped broker last summer.
“It took a lot of phone calls,” Trump said of the agreement. “I’m very good at getting peace deals done — better than the United Nations.”
The ASEAN Summit continues through Tuesday, with trade integration, regional security, and global economic resilience topping the agenda.
