Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, said on Wednesday President Donald Trump should be uninvited to an upcoming G7 meeting in Alberta.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Trump has repeatedly suggested he wants the U.S. to annex Canada and make it the 51st state since returning to office in January. His remarks, as well as support for tariffs on Canadian imports, have strained relations with Washington’s neighbor to the north.
What to Know
Singh said during a speech at the Conseil Des Relations Internationales de Montreal that Trump should be uninvited from the meeting scheduled in June over his recent remarks on Canada.
“Why would we invite someone who threatens our sovereignty and economic well-being? Why would we invite someone who threatens the economic well-being of allies and threatens the world’s stability? Why would we allow a convicted criminal into our country?” Singh asked.
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Instead, he said, world leaders should use the summit to discuss how they can “work together to resist Donald Trump.”
He also slammed Trump’s latest remarks suggesting Ukraine is to blame for the Russian invasion, which this month passed its third anniversary, and calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator” while calling for elections in the Eastern European nation.
His comments mark a stark shift from the Biden administration, which was a strong supporter of Ukraine.
“We are roughly one month into Donald Trump’s presidency, and we are seeing a reshaping of the global order, and a less safe and stable world. In less than a month, he cozied up to dictators like Vladimir Putin, while calling our ally President Zelensky a dictator,” he said.
The New Democratic Party is a left-leaning party in Canada, and Singh has been critical of Trump in the past.
“I have a message for Donald Trump. We’re good neighbours. But, if you pick a fight with Canada – there will be a price to pay,” he wrote in a post to X in January.
What People Are Saying
Thomas Juneau, professor at University of Ottawa, in a post to X: “Canada should absolutely invite Trump to the G7 meeting in Alberta this year. Disinviting him would be the typical Canadian foreign policy move: feel good and pat yourself in the back but achieve nothing. Not the time for that anymore. Invite & engage him.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during a press conference earlier in February: “Let’s be very clear. Conversations around the 51st state are a nonstarter. It’s never going to happen. But we have to take seriously what the president is saying and fold that into our thinking as we continue to stand up for Canada.”
What Happens Next
Tariffs are expected to go into effect next month, and relations between the U.S. and Canada are likely to stay chilled over the coming weeks and months. However, most experts doubt Canada will actually become a U.S. state, and the proposal isn’t particularly popular on either side of the border.