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Doha – King Mohammed VI sent a message of congratulations to Mark Carney following his appointment as Prime Minister of Canada, reaffirming the strong diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Moroccan monarch conveyed his “best wishes for full success” to Carney in his new role, stating that Morocco and Canada share “long relations of friendship based on mutual respect, shared values and dynamic cooperation in numerous fields.”
The King noted Morocco’s commitment to this “common foundation as a guarantee of fruitful future-oriented cooperation.”
Carney, 59, took the oath of office as Canada’s Prime Minister on March 14, at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, succeeding Justin Trudeau’s nearly 10-year tenure. The former central banker immediately formed a streamlined 24-member cabinet, reducing it from Trudeau’s previous 30-plus ministers.
Born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and raised in Edmonton, Carney brings substantial economic expertise to his role. He served as Governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013 and made history as the first non-British Governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020.
After his central banking career, he worked as the United Nations’ special envoy for climate action and finance.
US trade tensions
Carney assumes leadership amid escalating trade friction with the United States. The US has imposed 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, prompting Canada to implement retaliatory measures. Further pressure looms with threatened 25-percent tariffs on all Canadian exports, scheduled for April 2.
In his first public statements, Carney addressed the situation directly: “The president is a successful business person and dealmaker. We’re his largest client,” adding that “clients expect respect and working together in a proper commercial way.”
Responding to US territorial suggestions, Carney stated firmly in French: “C’est simple: C’est fou. Point finale,” translating it as “It’s crazy. His point is crazy. That’s it.”
Growing Moroccan-Canadian community
The Morocco-Canada partnership, established more than 60 years ago in 1962, spans multiple sectors.
The first wave of Moroccan immigration to Canada began in the 1950s, primarily consisting of Jewish families leaving Morocco after the end of the French protectorate in 1956. This migration intensified during the Arab-Israeli wars, particularly after the 1967 Six Day War.
The 1970s marked the arrival of Muslim immigrants from Morocco, with numbers surging in the late 1990s. A pivotal 1979 agreement between Quebec and Rabat eased the path for Moroccan students to study in Quebec with reduced tuition fees.
The 1991 Canada-Québec Accord further shaped immigration patterns by prioritizing young, educated, francophone immigrants.
The Moroccan diaspora has established deep roots in Canadian society. Montreal’s Dar Al Maghrib Moroccan Cultural Centre, opened in 2012 with Moroccan government support, stands as North America’s first such institution.
The community has formed numerous associations and schools offering language, cultural, and religious education.
Trade and diplomatic relations
Trade relations show strong momentum, with Morocco standing as Canada’s fourth-largest bilateral merchandise trading partner in Africa. Bilateral trade reached $1.14 billion in 2021, marking a 14.1% rise from 2020.
Canadian exports to Morocco comprise cereals, vegetables, medical instruments, machinery, equipment, salt, and aircraft parts, while Morocco exports fertilizers, fruits, edible nuts, and inorganic chemicals to Canada.
The countries maintain active cooperation in counter-terrorism initiatives, having co-chaired the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum from 2019 to September 2022. Canada has allocated over $9.1 million since 2017 for bilateral and regional counter-terrorism programs in Morocco.
Educational ties form another cornerstone of bilateral relations, with more than 5,000 Moroccan students enrolling annually in Canadian colleges and universities.
The Moroccan community in Canada has grown to 104,000 people as of 2016, with 82.6% residing in Quebec.
Direct air connections between Montreal and Casablanca, operated by Air Canada and Royal Air Maroc, facilitate regular travel between the countries.
Diplomatic representation continues through the Canadian Embassy in Rabat and Morocco’s embassy in Ottawa, supplemented by consulates general in Montreal and Toronto.
Recent polls indicate positive traction for Carney’s leadership, with Liberal Party support rising to 35% compared to the Conservative Party’s 36%, a substantial shift from January when the Conservatives led by 27 percentage points.
