Canada's Anand says Ottawa is fast advancing 'middle power' diplomacy, aiming to double non-US trade in a decade

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said on October 31 in Atlanta that Canada is making rapid progress in diversifying its trade and security ties beyond the United States, with a goal of doubling its non-US trade over the next decade. She spoke to Reuters on the sidelines of a US-hosted meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 major economies.

Twenty new agreements, reaching 1.5 billion consumers

Anand said Ottawa had forged 20 new security and trade agreements with countries and parties around the world, giving Canada access to 1.5 billion consumers in more than 51 countries, and that the push to expand ties outside the US would continue.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed to double Canada's non-US trade over the next decade. The drive follows US President Donald Trump's tariffs rippling through Canada's economy and the breakdown of Canada's efforts to reach a deal with Washington, pushing Ottawa to aggressively pursue trade pacts from the Asia Pacific to Europe and the Middle East.

Arctic, Europe and critical minerals

Anand said Canada was also working to expand its ties to the European Union, citing a new national security strategy released earlier in the week that puts a major focus on critical minerals, energy and food security. She also cited Canada's work with Nordic countries on Arctic safety and security in the face of growing Russian threats.

She said Canada was the only Group of Seven country that had free trade agreements with every other G7 country.

Rifts at the G20 table

The G20 foreign ministers' meeting, hosted by the United States, saw the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expose deep rifts troubling the grouping. Anand described Canada's approach as 'middle power diplomacy', emphasizing trust in building relationships outside North America.

Source: Reuters report from Atlanta, October 31, 2026.