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.