CARNEY’S ANNOUNCES DEALS WITH AUSTRALIA
During his recent visit to Australia, Carney also signed a clean energy deal for new two-way trade and investment as part of a major drive away from American reliance.
“Canada is building partnerships abroad. In just under one year, we’ve signed 20 new economic and security partnerships across four continents,” he told a press conference in Canberra.
Both Carney and PM Anthony Albanese spoke about developing economic “resilience” with the Canadian leader saying their free trade deal with the US, under the tri-nation CUSMA agreement that involves Mexico, has been “broken” by Washington.
“Both of us are seeking to diversify those trading relationships and make sure that we’re not vulnerable to a shock of any one particular nation and a breakdown in those relationships,” Albanese told journalists.
They both point to critical minerals like lithium as an area where they can do more.
“Our critical minerals strategic reserve, working with Canada’s defence stockpiling regime, is a strength …if we’re actually talking to each other and working together. That’s what we aim to do,” Albanese says.
Other achievements of Carney’s visit included:
A new deal for CSL’s Victoria factory to export 15 million doses of cell-based adjuvanted influenza vaccine to Canada’s Public Health Agency.
Confirmation that Australia has joined the G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance and a new industry skills exchange program between the countries.
Military training and personnel exchanges between the countries is to increase with talks due to start on a Status of Forces Agreement, which will allow a country to station troops in a host nation.
Australia has one with the US which gives their Marines a rotational force presence in the Northern Territory.
EARLIER CANADA NEWS: $527 billion pivot away from US defence on the cards
