Prime Minister Mark Carney’s meeting with President Trump will not on its own repair parlous U.S.-Canadian relations, but at least the two leaders were civil toward each other.

Trump repeated his fantasy of making Canada our 51st state, while Carney politely and firmly replied “never.” It could have been much worse. In fact, both leaders showed respect, and could develop a good personal relationship.

Since Trump believes international affairs are little more than personal relations among leaders, this is no small achievement. But don’t draw any sweeping conclusions.

Trump’s determination to impose punishing tariffs on Canada (and Mexico), combined with his enthusiasm for absorbing Canada, had sent downhill previously good relations between Washington and Ottawa. Trump personally never got along well with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, derisively calling him “Governor Trudeau,” but both governments generally worked harmoniously together even when they disagreed. I do not recall first-term Trump ever aspiring to the annexation of Canada.

But this March, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, “Canada only works as a state. We don’t need anything they have….[W]hy should we subsidize another country for $200 billion?” Trump was optimistic he could make it happen: “If people wanted to play the game right, it would be 100 percent certain that they’d

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