US Secretary of State Marco Rubio travelled to Canada on Wednesday, marking the highest-level visit by a member of President Donald Trump’s administration since the onset of a contentious trade dispute with the country.
Rubio's trip comes as US-Canada relations continue to deteriorate under Trump’s aggressive trade policies, which have included the imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminium.
Rubio is attending Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers’ talks in Charlevoix, Quebec, where he will advocate for further support for Ukraine, a key issue for the industrial democracies.
The G7 has largely backed Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion, but Rubio’s mission is to push both Moscow and Kyiv towards a ceasefire, urging diplomatic concessions from both sides.
In a highly unusual move, Rubio took a circuitous route, departing from the Saudi port city of Jeddah, where he met top Ukrainian officials the previous day. Despite the typically routine nature of US-Canada visits, Rubio's trip is set against the backdrop of increasingly hostile relations between the two neighbours.
Since taking office again, Trump has escalated tensions, mocking Canada’s position on the world stage. He even suggested that Canada could become the “51st state” of the United States and subjected the country to a blanket 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminium imports.
This move, which Trump imposed on Canada and other US trading partners, has been described as a serious blow to the bilateral relationship.
Rubio’s arrival coincides with reports that Trump threatened to double the tariff rate on Canada this week. However, the US president backed down after Ontario, the most populous Canadian province, agreed to ease a surcharge on electricity to three US states, temporarily reducing the tensions.
Despite these ongoing disputes, Rubio acknowledged that both countries shared important common interests, particularly within the G7 framework.
“We must ensure that our shared work on global issues is not undermined by our differences over trade,” Rubio said while en route to Saudi Arabia for a separate diplomatic mission.
He added that he planned to discuss trade tensions with Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly during his visit but emphasised the importance of continuing collaboration on broader matters.
Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau raised alarms about the existential challenge posed by the US, with former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney echoing concerns that the US is seeking greater control over Canadian resources and territory.
This sentiment deepened after reports that Trump sought to revisit the 1908 border treaty between the two nations.
While Rubio did not comment directly on Trump’s potential renegotiation of the border agreement, he noted that he did not expect the issue to come up during the G7 talks in Quebec.
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