With Canada set to host the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly is sounding the alarm about the growing trade war with the United States. She will use the forum to caution European and British counterparts against the risks of U.S. trade policy.

“If the U.S. can do this to us, their best friend, then nobody is safe,” Joly warned, highlighting the larger implications of America’s trade belligerence.

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While the G7 agenda formally focuses on international issues like Ukraine, the Middle East, Haiti, and Venezuela, Joly seeks to highlight U.S. tariffs and their effects on Canada’s economy and sovereignty. She is seeking to mobilize international opinion against what she terms “economic coercion.”

Canada Responds to U.S. Tariffs and Economic Pressure

The U.S. has slapped 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, a step Canada considers to be economic aggression. Canada retaliated by imposing counter-tariffs on some $20 billion in American products.

Joly has been stern, calling the tariffs an economic coercion excuse. She has also called for stronger European military and economic relationships with Canada to offset growing U.S. pressure.

At the center of the controversy is Canada’s sovereignty. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly made remarks that many in Canada interpret as annexation threats. Joly is still firm that Canada will not fall to U.S. pressure.

U.S. Dismisses Annexation Fears, But Tensions Escalate

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has tried to play down Trump’s annexation comments, saying they are intended in an economic sense.

“He indicates if they became the 51st state, we would not have to concern ourselves with the border and fentanyl crossing over because now we could control that,” Rubio said.

But they have contributed to Canadians’ growing distrust, as more Canadians believe that their nation is losing sovereignty. The two countries’ relations have reached an all-time low, with Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on all Canadian imports and his ongoing comments regarding annexation causing political tensions.

New Canadian Leadership Faces Trade Crisis

As Canada readies to inaugurate a new prime minister, the trade conflict with the U.S. is still a formidable challenge. Prime Minister-designate Mark Carney has described Trump’s trade measures as both an “economic and sovereign crisis.”

“The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country,” Carney warned. “Think about it. If they succeed, they will destroy our way of life.”

Outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed similar sentiments in his valedictory address, saying, “Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given.”

With tensions running high, everyone’s eyes are now on the upcoming G7 summit, where Joly will take Canada’s case to the world stage, battling to protect the country’s sovereignty and economic independence.