In this English lesson, we explore a surprising news story—Mark Carney visited the White House in Washington DC and told President Trump "Canada is NOT for Sale! Learn 28 or more key vocabulary words and expressions while diving into the history and mystery of this famous prison island. Perfect for English learners who want to build their vocabulary using real news stories!
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Vocabulary + Sentences
Pushed back – said no; didn’t agree
Carney pushed back when Trump said Canada should be part of the U.S.
Muted response – quiet reaction :
Many people in Canada gave a muted response. They didn’t say much.
Amid – during
Amid the talks, they also spoke about border problems.
The firefighter is walking amid the fire.
Not shy – confident; says what he thinks
Trump was not shy about saying he wants Canada as a U.S. state.
Rejected – said no
Carney rejected the idea of selling Canada.
Liberal – a political group that is the opposite of Conservative
Carney is the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party.
Mark Carney – Canada’s new Prime Minister
Mark Carney met with Trump in May 2025.
Real estate – selling land and buildings
Carney said Canada is not real estate. It is not for sale.
Buckingham Palace – famous royal building in London
Carney said, “Canada is not for sale—like Buckingham Palace.”
Owners of Canada – the citizens of Canada
Carney said that he talked to the owners of Canada. They said, “Canada is not for sale.”
Never say never – maybe it could happen someday
Trump smiled and said, “Never say never.”
Pressing – asking a lot of questions
Reporters were pressing the two men about what they talked about.
“If I may” – polite way to start a question
A reporter asked, “If I may, is Canada really for sale?”
Dominated – was the biggest topic
The idea of Canada joining the U.S. dominated the meeting.
Rhetoric – strong, emotional speaking
Carney used strong rhetoric to say Canada is not for sale.
Imposed – forced something
Trump imposed new taxes on Canadian products.
Produce – fruits and vegetables
They talked about trading produce like apples and potatoes.
Produce – to create something
Canada wants to produce more things for trade.
Insisted – said very strongly
Carney insisted that Canada would stay independent.
Underway – already happening
Talks about trade were already underway.
This English lesson has been underway for about ten minutes now.
Negotiated – talked to make a deal
The two leaders negotiated a new plan for trade.
The door is open – we can still talk about it later
Carney said “The door is open” to more talks.
Libya – a country in North Africa
President Trump said he would like to deport aliens to Libya.
Migrants – people who move to a new country
They discussed how to help migrants at the border.
Illegal aliens – people in a country without permission
Trump used the term “illegal aliens” during the talk.
Turmoil – big problems and confusion
There is a lot of turmoil at the U.S.-Canada border.
Major escalation – a big increase in conflict
A trade war would be a major escalation.