Foreign affairs minister says she’ll bring up tariffs at ‘every single meeting’ during G7 gathering

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is hosting her counterparts from some of the world’s most influential countries in Quebec this week. The goal is to maintain unity between Washington and its G7 partners while also pushing back on U.S. tariffs.

Senator Peter Boehm, a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience in Canada’s participation in the G7, emphasized the importance of unity among the participating nations. He highlighted the need for a consensus-driven approach to address global challenges effectively.

The G7 foreign ministers are gathering in the Charlevoix region of Quebec for a series of meetings from Wednesday to Friday. The lineup includes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and representatives from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union. The ministers are expected to address pressing issues such as military conflicts, refugee crises, and the geopolitical shift towards China.

The recent resurgence of instability worldwide has been exacerbated by the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. His unconventional approach has strained relations with traditional allies, leading to tensions over issues like Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the imposition of tariffs on Canada and Europe.

The G7 was originally established as a platform for liberal democracies to address economic and social challenges through consensus-based decision-making. In recent years, the focus has primarily been on Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the broader implications for global security.

Minister Joly has made it clear that she intends to raise the issue of U.S. tariffs during the meetings. She views Trump’s trade policies as unjustifiable and potentially harmful to Canada’s interests. The goal is to coordinate a joint response with European partners and exert pressure on the U.S. to reconsider its stance.

On the other hand, Secretary of State Rubio has emphasized that the primary focus of the G7 meeting will be on Ukraine and North American security. He dismissed speculations about U.S. intentions to annex Canada and reiterated that Trump’s tariffs are part of a strategic policy decision.

The upcoming discussions are expected to cover a wide range of topics, including strengthening the G7 alliance and addressing geopolitical challenges in regions like the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and conflict zones like Haiti, Venezuela, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Minister Joly will also engage in bilateral meetings to advance Canada’s interests in areas such as trade, defense collaboration, and technology.

One of the central themes of the meetings will be the situation in Ukraine, with Canada advocating for a robust response to Russia’s aggression. Efforts to leverage frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defense will be a key point of discussion, with Canada leading the charge for utilizing these resources to provide financial assistance to Kyiv.

Overall, the G7 ministers aim to release a closing statement that reflects their shared values and commitments, similar to previous statements issued on topics like Syria, Iran, and the Indo-Pacific. The goal is to find common ground on critical issues while reaffirming the importance of international cooperation and solidarity in addressing global challenges.