• Canadian PM Mark Carney refutes claims of retracting remarks made at Davos.
• US Treasury Secretary indicated Carney walked back his comments during a call with Trump.
• Trump threatens a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if trade deals with China proceed.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has denied claims that he retracted his statements made at the World Economic Forum in Davos during a phone call with US President Donald Trump. This denial follows US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's assertion that Carney was "very aggressively walking back" some of his remarks aimed at economic coercion by powerful nations, which had initially upset Trump, according to aa and channelnewsasia.

During a press briefing, Carney clarified that he emphatically told Trump, "I meant what I said in Davos," as he emphasized Canada's intention to expand trade partnerships beyond the United States. Carney highlighted plans for “12 new deals, four continents, in six months” aimed at reducing reliance on the U.S., as over 75% of Canadian exports currently depend on this relationship, according to scmp and channelnewsasia.

The backdrop for these statements includes Trump's recent threat to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian imports if a trade deal with China moves forward, which Carney reiterated Canada has no interest in pursuing. The tensions are compounded as Trump has openly questioned Canada's sovereignty, linking it to U.S. policy changes and trade agreements, which Carney noted to be a significant factor in the country's trade strategy moving forward, according to aa, scmp, and channelnewsasia.