Top G7 Diplomats Gather in Canada as Trump Trade Threats Loom
CAP-AUX-MEULES, Quebec – Foreign โministers from the โฃGroup of Seven โ(G7) nations convened inโ Quebec โtoday โamid renewed trade tensions sparked by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent proposals for tariffs. The โmeeting comes as Canada seeks to navigate a complex relationship with the United States, balancing economic concernsโ with shared security interests.
The gathering takes place as Trump has publicly floated โthe idea of imposing 10% tariffs on all goods from countries that don’tโข meet his standards for military spending โand fair trade practices, directly targeting key G7 allies. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently apologized for a canadian advertisement critical of Trump’s โขtrade policies and indicated a willingness to restart โขtrade negotiations when the U.S. is prepared.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anandโข is leveraging theโ G7 meeting to โคaddress a broad range of issues beyond trade,โค emphasizing theโ importance of maintaining a multifaceted relationship with the U.S. During a โคrecent breakfast meeting in Washington, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)โข requested Anand’s โassistance in securingโค international support for Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan and โฃensuring the success of a future gaza reconstruction conference.
U.S. officials have stated rubio’sโข agenda at the G7 meeting will also focus on initiatives toโ end conflicts in Ukraineโ and Gaza, bolster maritimeโ security, address crises inโค Haiti and Sudan, and โstrengthen supply chain โresilience, particularly regarding critical minerals. Canada’s priorities align with several of these, including ending the war in Ukraine, enhancingโข Arctic security, and stabilizing Haiti.
A working lunch is scheduled to โฃdiscuss energy and critical โminerals – resources vital for industries ranging from smartphones to defense – โwith Canada possessing 34 minerals and metals of particular interest to the Pentagon for national security purposes. Anand underscored the need for continued dialog, stating, “Every complex โคrelationship has numerous touch pointsโฆther is continued work to be done – โขjust as there is work to be done on the numerous touch points outside the trade file.”