Canadian Foreign Minister to Rubio: "You're in Our Country, Respect Our Sovereignty and Our People"

The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, delivered a strong message to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the G7 Foreign Ministers' summit held in La Malbaie, Quebec. "What I told the secretary is that Canada's sovereignty is not up for debate. Period. There is no discussion. No discussion about it. No need to talk about it. [I said:] 'You're here, respect us. Respect our sovereignty. You're in our country, respect our people.' Period," the minister stated during a press conference following the meeting.

Joly's remarks came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's comments, which reiterated the notion that Canada could become the 51st state of the Union. The Canadian minister made it clear that such statements would not derail the country's diplomatic agenda and emphasized that "there was no discussion about it, nor any need to talk about that topic."

Rubio Acknowledges Disagreement but Downplays Tension

For his part, Rubio admitted there is a disagreement between Trump's stance and that of the Canadian government, but he attempted to downplay the matter, stating that the G7 summit wasn't the appropriate venue to discuss a potential annexation of Canada by the United States. "There is a disagreement between the president's stance and the Canadian government's," Rubio acknowledged, according to CBC. "I don't think it's a mystery, and it wasn't a topic of conversation because it wasn't the purpose of this summit."

Trump Persists in His View on Canada

Meanwhile, the U.S. leader continued to express his belief that Canada would be better off as a state within the Union. During a conference at the White House, Trump stated, "We don't need anything they have. As a state, it would be one of the great states." He also referred to the border between the two countries as "an artificial line" that, according to him, "makes no sense."

Prime Minister Carney Strongly Rejects the Idea

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was even more forceful in his rejection of Trump's proposal. At a press conference, he deemed the idea "insane" and assured that Canada "will never, in any way, be part of the United States." "The United States is not Canada," Carney emphasized. "We are a fundamentally different country."

Canada Seeks to Diversify Its Trade

Beyond the controversy, Joly emphasized that the Canadian government would continue to strengthen its trade with partners outside the United States. She highlighted the importance of reducing internal trade barriers between provinces and bolstering economic ties with Europe and the United Kingdom. "We need to diversify our economy," she stated. This stance comes amid trade tensions with Washington. Recently, Trump announced new tariffs against Canada, prompting trade retaliation from Ottawa.

The G7 and the War in Ukraine

During the summit, Joly also addressed the situation in Ukraine and expressed the G7's support for a U.S.-led ceasefire proposal. According to her statements, the international community is watching Russia's response closely. "The ball is now in Russia's court," she remarked. Meanwhile, Trump claimed to have had "productive conversations" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting there is "a good chance" the war might come to an end.

The debate over Canadian sovereignty, combined with trade and geopolitical challenges, marks a period of tension in the relationship between Ottawa and Washington. However, Joly reaffirmed that Canada would maintain its firm stance and continue to strengthen its international alliances.