OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Monday, prior to attending the UN General Assembly. He emphasized Canada's potential as a nation that "has what the world wants." Here are five key points from his address.

**Canada as a Trade Bridge** Carney highlighted Canada's role as a bridge between the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the European Union. He noted that Canada is a member of the CPTPP and has had a trade agreement with the EU since 2017. "Canada's in both, effectively. We're deepening with Europe, we're deepening with some of those players there," he stated. The U.S. initiated the CPTPP but withdrew from negotiations, allowing countries like Canada, Peru, Australia, and Vietnam to form a trading bloc. This arrangement enables significant markets outside of China and the U.S. to engage in trade without coercive practices. The pact has expanded to include the U.K., which seeks rules-based trade following its exit from the EU. Carney mentioned ongoing discussions about increasing European involvement in the CPTPP, suggesting that the EU could either join the bloc or enhance trade with CPTPP nations. "There is open discussion. We're part of it. I don't want to overplay it because it's still early days," he said.

**Engagement with China** Carney addressed Canada's relationship with China, stating, "One of the things that we can improve on … with respect to China is being clearer about where we engage." He described a tiered approach to engagement based on shared values. Canada could collaborate with China on energy and basic manufacturing while maintaining boundaries on national security and privacy issues. Carney acknowledged China's commitment to climate change, noting that it is "a country run by engineers" and mentioned a potential partnership on climate initiatives. He reiterated that China poses the "biggest security threat to Canada" and emphasized a cautious approach to trade discussions, particularly following recent tensions over tariffs on electric vehicles and canola.

**Using Trade to Address the Ukraine Conflict** Carney expressed confidence that U.S. sanctions on entities collaborating with Russia could compel President Vladimir Putin to negotiate and end the war in Ukraine. He advocated for swift implementation of secondary sanctions, stating that even the threat of such measures would impact Russia's financial sector. "You'd say we're going to do it in two months or three months' time to effectively force Putin to the trilateral table," he explained. Carney also supported utilizing frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine's defense, a stance he previously opposed as a central banker.

**Potential Military Involvement in Ukraine and Gaza** When asked about the possibility of Canada deploying troops to Ukraine for peacekeeping, Carney was noncommittal. He stated, "We'll see what the structure is" and noted Canada's active role in supporting Ukraine's allies. He highlighted Canada's significant troop presence in Latvia as part of NATO obligations. Carney also mentioned various proposals from Arab and European nations for a multinational force in Palestine following a ceasefire.

**Major Project Approvals** Carney announced that Canadians can expect major project approvals approximately every four months over the next couple of years. Initial projects under consideration for expedited approval include an expansion of the Port of Montreal and plans to double liquefied natural gas production in British Columbia. He described these projects as viable and in the national interest, with a total investment exceeding $60 billion. The first list includes five projects for fast-track approval and another five requiring further development.