Carney wants to 'recalibrate' Canada-China relations with visit: PM's parliamentary aide

As the prime minister gears up to visit China, his parliamentary secretary, MP Kody Blois, says Mark Carney would like to "recalibrate" Canada's once-frosty relationship with the Chinese government and look at economic opportunities for the two nations.

"The trip next week is a continuation of that turning point in the relationship," Blois said in an interview airing Sunday morning on Rosemary Barton Live. "[Carney] believes there's opportunity for partnership."

During his trip to China, the prime minister will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to his office. Afterwards, he'll visit Qatar on Jan. 18 and then Switzerland from Jan. 19 to 21 to attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos.

The visit to China will be closely watched by the Prairie provinces, which have called on Carney to lift duties Canada imposed on Chinese-made electric vehicles in 2024. China retaliated by slapping tariffs on canola, seafood and pork.

Blois, who will travel with Carney to China, said the federal government sees an opportunity to co-operate on agriculture and agri-food. But when asked whether Canadians should expect results next week, the Liberal MP declined to comment.

"What I would say, and what Canadians should understand, is that we know the importance of what the Chinese market means from an economic perspective," Blois told host Rosemary Barton.

For Saskatchewan's canola farmers, China's tariffs have pummelled their farms.

Bill Prybylski, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, told Barton he estimates his farm has lost about $450,000 due to the tariffs.

"We've had good yields this past year, so we're able to make our financial commitments," Prybylski said. "But certainly going forward, we're having a very close look at where we're going to be spending our dollars because we know they are going to be limited."

Prybylski also said he's not expecting immediate tariff relief after Carney's visit, but he hopes it will be "the start of the end" and that both sides will negotiate.

That said, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is urging Carney to stand firm on the EV tariffs. On Thursday, he called on China to set up a manufacturing plant in Ontario and said Canada "can't back down. Simple as that."

Last year, China’s ambassador to Canada suggested the Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD has been interested in investing in Canada.

Wang Di told the Globe and Mail that BYD "had carefully thought about coming to Canada to make investment" but "met huge difficulties, restrictions and obstruction and they had to give up."

Carney's trip will mark the first visit to China by a Canadian prime minister since 2017.