Kathrine Frich
Canada and Saudi Arabia only restored full diplomatic ties in 2023.
When your biggest customer suddenly changes the rules of the game, you have to look elsewhere.
Friendly ties with a powerful neighbor can sour almost overnight. That stark reality is exactly what just pushed one national leader to cross the globe in search of new opportunities.
A historic journey
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently landed in Saudi Arabia. This marks the first time in 26 years that a leader from Ottawa has visited the Middle Eastern kingdom.
He did not make the trip just for a change of scenery. Carney is actively hunting for fresh economic partners.
The push to diversify comes as relations with the United States grow increasingly tense. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened severe trade tariffs. He has even suggested annexing Canada entirely.
Outpacing the neighbor
To counter this pressure, the Canadian government wants everyone to know their economy is thriving on its own. They have the numbers to prove it.
According to Mirror US, the country added nearly three times as many jobs per capita as the US since early 2025. That breaks down to 3.4 jobs per 1,000 people in Canada compared to 1.2 in the United States.
The official update noted that domestic growth stayed solid. “The economy avoided a recession and domestic activity remained solid, even as tariff increases and trade tensions weighed on activity,” the government report stated.
Searching for billions
Carney used his time in Riyadh to pitch his country as a prime location for international money.
“We’re looking to catalyze a trillion dollars of investment between now and the end of this decade. We’re embarking on a defense and industrial bill that’s half a trillion dollars,” Carney explained, according to the Mirror US.
He also pointed out that their grand plan is already working. Moving away from American reliance takes time, but the initial results look promising.
“We’re looking to double our non-US exports, we’re on track for that. We’re growing jobs at twice the rate of the United States, we’re at the highest level of foreign direct investment in 20 years in Canada,” the prime minister said.
New world order
This strategic pivot required Ottawa to mend some old fences. Canada and Saudi Arabia only restored full diplomatic ties in 2023, following a bitter five-year dispute over human rights issues.
Now, both nations need each other. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants to build an economy that does not rely solely on oil.
Meanwhile, the situation in Washington leaves Canada with few alternatives.
Nelson Wiseman is a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. He told the Mirror US that “Trump’s erratic trade and foreign policies” have forced Carney to reach out “to others in a new and evolving world order.”
Sources: Mirror US, Government of Canada, University of Toronto
