HAMILTON, Canada
Canada’s new prime minister slammed US Secretary of State Rubio calling his country the “51st state” at Friday’s G7 meeting in Quebec, vowing that Canada will "never, ever" be a part of its southern neighbor.
In his first official news conference after being sworn in, Mark Carney told reporters that his new government has a number of priorities, mentioning first of all US tariffs, saying it will protect “Canadian workers and their families in the face of unjustified foreign trade actions.”
Asked about Rubio's comments made on Canadian soil – echoing months of similar remarks by US President Donald Trump – Carney called them "crazy."
Carney was later asked about his upcoming visit to Europe and whether he would be "seeking assurances from Canada's allies that this country will never become America's 51st state."
"We will never, ever, in any way, shape or form, be part of the United States," he said, stressing: "America is not Canada."
Touting the Canadian difference, he said of his new and diverse Cabinet: “You would not have that Cabinet in America. You do not have that Cabinet in America.”
He added: "We are a very fundamentally different country."
Carney also said he does not "have plans to go the United States," but gave assurances that he is looking "forward to speaking to him (Trump) at the appropriate moment.
❝We will never, ever, in any way, shape or form, be part of the United States❞
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) March 14, 2025
'I don't have plans to go the United States,' Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney tells reporters, but says he and Trump will meet 'at appropriate moment' https://t.co/q0F8cpcCmm pic.twitter.com/QZIXBzGikt
Describing his cabinet as "extraordinary and well qualified," Carney said his government "will focus on the most essential things and adopt an approach based on action to meet the challenges we currently face."
"Canada's new government will be action oriented, driven by a smaller but highly experienced team made to meet the moment we are in. Our leaner Cabinet will focus on two priorities in particular; first, protecting Canadian workers and their families in the face of unjustified foreign trade actions; and second, growing this great country by putting more money in Canadians' pockets by ensuring that government spends less," he said.
Carney also pledged to make Canada "a superpower in both conventional and clean energies, by creating New trade corridors with reliable partners."
"Negativity won't win a trade war," he added.
Canadian premier further said he "received an invitation from the President of France (Emmanuel Macron) to have a conversation on a number of issues, trade issues, in particular, issues with respect to the security of Europe, Ukraine and Canada."
"I also received an invitation from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (Keir Starmer)," he said, adding that "it's a good idea to go there now" as Canada seeks to diversify its trade partner and strengthen its security.
He also said he would not be seeking "assurances" from its allies on Canada's sovereignty, and said: "I don't think we need."
"We're masters in our home. We're in charge," he affirmed.