Canada before the G7: Is Ottawa seeking wider room to move beyond Washington?

Canada is entering an important political week as Prime Minister Mark Carney moves through Europe ahead of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in France, with a question that goes beyond the formal diplomatic schedule: is Ottawa trying to build a “third path” that gives it more room to move in trade, defence and technology, without breaking its deep relationship with the United States?

The Prime Minister’s Office said Carney’s June 11 to 17 trip includes France, Ireland and the G7 Summit, with a focus on deepening Canada’s partnerships in trade, defence and technology. These files are no longer purely economic. They are increasingly tied to national security and to the ability of countries to protect their interests in a more unstable world.

In Paris, Canada’s agenda includes stronger cooperation with France in trade, defence, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and critical minerals. In Ireland, the discussions expand to digital innovation, AI, pharmaceuticals and climate. At the G7, Canada is trying to position itself as a reliable partner in economic security, clean energy and emerging technologies.

The deeper message of the tour is clear: Canada does not want to move away from Washington, but it also does not want all its choices to depend on Washington alone. The relationship with the United States will remain central because of geography, trade and supply chains. But Ottawa is looking for more room to work with Europe and other partners, especially in sectors that will shape the next economy.

Carney expressed this idea in Dublin when he spoke about the role of “middle powers” in a world shaped by great-power rivalry. He argued that these countries should not only compete for the approval of larger powers, but can work together to create a third path with impact. This is not a break with the United States. It is an attempt to build a smarter balance: partnership with Washington, and wider engagement with Europe and the world.

The challenge is that Canada cannot ignore the reality of its economic dependence on the U.S. market. Reuters reported that the United States still accounts for nearly 70 percent of Canada’s exports, while more than 85 percent of bilateral trade remains tariff-free under the USMCA. That means any talk of diversification has to remain realistic, because a full economic break is not a practical option in the near term.

This makes Carney’s strategy less about changing direction completely and more about reducing risk. The Canadian government wants to preserve its advantages in the U.S. market, while also expanding alternatives in Europe, Asia and other regions, so that every political or trade shock in Washington does not immediately become a shock to Canada’s economy.

The most important part of the tour is that the issues on the table are not traditional. Artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, critical minerals, defence and clean energy have become tools of influence, much like oil and old trade routes once were. Countries that control these sectors, or the supply chains behind them, will have more power to protect their economies and their political choices.

For Canadians, the G7 may seem distant from daily life, but it touches very practical questions: jobs, prices, technology, defence spending and secure supply chains. The more Canada can diversify its partnerships, the less exposed its economy becomes when U.S. policy changes or global tensions rise.

The G7 Summit will not settle Canada’s future relationship with the United States on its own. But it does reveal a clearer direction in Ottawa: staying close to Washington, while building more space beyond it. Canada is not leaving its American partnership. It is trying to enter the next stage with more ability to choose.