US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the issue of how the United States might take over Canada would not be discussed at a gathering of G7 foreign ministers due to take place in Canada on Thursday.
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major democracies—Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States—will meet at the riverside resort of La Malbaie, Quebec, from 12-14 March for the first time since President Donald Trump returned to power in January.
When asked about Trump’s comments on making Canada the 51st US state, Rubio instead highlighted areas of cooperation between the United States and Canada, including the defence of North American airspace and support for Ukraine.
“We’re going to be focused in the G7 on all of those things. That’s what the meeting is about. It is not a meeting about how we’re going to take over Canada,” he said.
Tensions between the US and Canada have escalated following Trump’s repeated remarks about Washington’s northern neighbour being its 51st state and his reference to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as its governor.
The two nations are also locked in a trade war.
Trump has increased tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Canada, accusing the country of failing to do enough to curb the flow of the deadly fentanyl opioid and its precursor chemicals into the US. The move is also part of Trump’s broader strategy to reshape global trade norms in favour of the United States.
Rubio stated that Trump was not targeting any specific country but was instead aiming to strengthen domestic industrial capabilities, arguing that the current situation posed a long-term threat to US national security.
Despite these tensions, the top US diplomat said he expected to have constructive discussions with G7 allies.
“I think it is quite possible that we could address these issues while also engaging constructively with our allies, friends, and partners on all the other matters we work on together. And that’s what I expect from the G7 in Canada,” Rubio said.
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