Canadian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has spoken out against a proposal by opposition New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh to not invite US President Donald Trump to the Group of Seven (G7) summit because of his statements about the 51st state.
„Obviously President Trump said some things that offended and angered Canadians, but ultimately we have to find ways to work with the Americans. We are not going to split up and sail out into the ocean. They are going to be our neighbours in the future and we need to find ways to improve that relationship,” the minister told reporters on Wednesday before a closed-door meeting on US tariffs chaired by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trump has repeatedly said that "many Canadians" want their country to become the 51st state of the United States. He believes that such an alliance would bring economic stability to Canada and protect it from external threats, which the US president says come mainly from Russia and China. Prime Minister Trudeau responded by saying that Canada will never become the 51st state of the United States.
On February 1, Trump signed an executive order to increase tariffs on goods from Canada, China and Mexico effective February 4. However, on February 3, Trudeau, after speaking with the US president, announced that the United States was suspending tariffs on Canada for 30 days. On February 24, Trump said that the US administration would continue to impose new tariffs on its trading partners “as planned”.
The G7 meeting will be held in the resort area of Kananaskis, Alberta, from June 15-17.