PM Carney was asked a highly charged question and gave a responsible answer, it's as simple as that.
"The Context:
The interviewers explicitly asked Carney about U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated public musings and social media threats regarding annexing Canada or turning it into the "51st state".
"The Prompt:
After being pressed by reporters on whether he took those American threats seriously, Carney responded by addressing the concept of "extreme tail risk".
"The Core Statement:
In answering the question, Carney stated that as a leader, it is a matter of risk management to carefully examine even highly unlikely scenarios, noting that "it would be irresponsible not to" prepare."
Sources: The New York Times (specifically their Canada bureau chief and the reporting team who conducted the original headquarter interview)
CBC News (including follow-up analysis regarding the interviewer's account of his response pause)
BBC News
POLITICO
Financial Post
Canadians are subjected to North Korean levels of propaganda, daily. It’s exhausting.