The Canadian side has acknowledged this by planning a series of smaller statements by G-7 leaders on specific issues, rather than the usual joint communique that tries to capture consensus on a wide range of topics. Trump, famously, withdrew US support from the final agreement in 2018, the last time Canada hosted the G-7, after he took offense at Trudeau’s comments in a closing news conference.
Carney will take pains to avoid a similar blowup. Economic matters — including energy security, critical minerals and artificial intelligence — will be priorities for him at the summit, which wraps up on Tuesday.
“So far that’s what I see him doing with the G-7: finding the items where there’s going to be common ground, not setting us up for failure by insisting on an agenda that isn’t going to go anywhere,” Lilly said.
But there’s still some domestic political risk for Carney at the event. Many Canadians are looking for the prime minister to stand up to Trump on tariffs and Canadian sovereignty, said Dan Arnold, chief strategy officer at Pollara and a former pollster for Trudeau.
Canadian anger is still simmering about the trade war and Trump’s repeated comments that Canada should be the 51st state — even if he has made them less frequently of late. Travel by Canadians to the US has plummeted, and some organized protests in Canada against Trump on Saturday, joining the ‘No Kings’ rallies in dozens of major US cities.
Becky Devlin of Barrie, Ontario, was part of a demonstration outside the US consulate in Toronto. Carrying a flag reading “Canada Is Not For Sale,” she lamented the president’s statements about annexing Canada. “It’s just annoying, and an example of everything wrong with the Trump administration,” she said.
