Rubio says G-7 won’t discuss US ‘takeover’ of Canada
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expects to have constructive conversations with G-7 allies.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SHANNON, Ireland - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 12 said the issue of how the United States is going to “take over Canada” will not be discussed at a gathering of G-7 foreign ministers due to take place in Canada on March 13.
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major democracies – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States – will meet at the river resort of La Malbaie, Quebec on March 12-14 for the first time since President Donald Trump returned to power in January.
When asked by reporters about Mr Trump's comments on making Canada the 51st US state
“We’re going to be focused in the G-7 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.
US ties with Canada have soured following Mr Trump’s repeated comments about Washington’s northern neighbor being its 51st US state and the Republican president referring to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as its “governor”.
The two neighbours are also locked in a trade war.
Mr Rubio said Mr Trump was not singling out any country but trying to help develop a domestic industrial capability as the current situation threatened US national security in the long run.
The top US diplomat said despite these tensions, he expected to have constructive conversations with G-7 allies.
“I think it is quite possible that we could do these things and at the same time deal in a constructive way with our allies and friends and partners on all the other issues that we work together on. And that’s what I expect out of the G-7 in Canada,” Mr Rubio said. REUTERS
