At a Canada Investment Summit held in Toronto, Prime Minister Mark Carney recalled a 2025 meeting in Washington where President Donald Trump presented him with a gold key to the White House.
Carney said the key was a symbolic gesture, noting that Trump’s remark—"Maybe they’ll shoot you"—laughed audiences while highlighting the tension between the two neighbours.
Trump has long given ceremonial keys to the White House as a sign of hospitality, having given one to former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2022 and to Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso in 2024.
The exchange occurs as Washington and Ottawa grapple with a trade dispute that began in 2023 after the United States imposed new tariffs on Canadian dairy and lumber products, prompting Canada to diversify its trade partners.
Carney said he will use the summit to showcase Canada’s resilience, arguing that the country can emerge from the trade conflict stronger and that it is actively courting European investors.