Tensions high as G7 Summit kicks off in Quebec

CHARLEVOIX, Quebec (NEWS 1130) – The G7 Summit gets underway in Charlevoix, Quebec today as world leaders sit down for two days of talks on issues like economic growth, gender equality, climate change and plastic pollution.

But US President Donald Trump is getting nasty and raising tensions before the meetings even begin.

We were already expecting the president to clash with his allies over trade, but Trump is feeding those frictions with a series of tweets ahead of the summit.

This morning says he looks forward to straightening out some trade deals with G7 countries, and last night he attacked the Canadian dairy sector and called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indignant

“A rocky summit to begin with already, is likely to be a bit rockier,” explains Carleton University Political Scientis Elliott Tepper, who says Trump’s actions may leave the US isolated. “America first is more and more looking like America alone.”

This will make for an awkward bilateral meeting between Trudeau and Trump, which is scheduled for this afternoon.

Andrew Leslie, the parliamentary secretary for US relations downplays the impact of these tensions.

“The relationship with the United States is a long bigger than certain issues that may arise from time-to-time, some friction points. And so our philosophy is to stay calm, carry on.”

Trudeau says he hopes to work through any conflicts.

“We continue to remain positive about the discussions we’ll be having. As we know, we’ll have points of disagreement and points of agreement.”

Trudeau has called Trump’s imposition of the tariffs “irresponsible” and “insulting” because the two countries have fought as allies in Second World War, Korea and Afghanistan.

Trudeau and his fellow G7 leaders will try to persuade Trump to reverse the duties during the summit.

“We will continue to demonstrate that we’re interested in defending Canadian interests and, on top of that, it turns out I’m defending American interests because these tariffs they’re putting forward are going to hurt American workers as well,” Trudeau said Thursday.

On top of all this, the president doesn’t plan to stick around til the end. Canadian government officials expect Trump to leave, hours before the summit wraps up tomorrow.

Trump: ‘let Russia back in’

Trump is provoking his fellow G7 leaders by calling for Russia’s reinstatement.

Russia was ousted from the elite group in 2014 as punishment for President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

“Why are we having a meeting without Russia in the meeting?” Trump said at the White House before departing for the Charlevoix region. “They should let Russia come back in because we should have Russia at the negotiating table.”

In the US, special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in a bid to sway the 2016 presidential election in his favour.

That comment has Trump squarely offside with this fellow G7 leaders, including Canada, who view Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and its meddling in western elections as a major international security concern.

Meantime, Italy’s new premier is backing Trump’s call, tweeting his support on Friday.

“I agree with the Presiden @realDonaldTrump: Russia should go back into the G-8. In the interest of all,” Giuseppe Conte said on Twitter.

Conte’s populist coalition includes the right-wing League party which says sanctions on Russia over Ukraine hurt Italian exports. League leader Matteo Salvini who has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a great statesmen and says Italy will lobby for the end of European Union sanctions against Russia over the annexation of Crimea.

Conte, a political novice who didn’t run for election, is making his international debut at the G-7 meetings in Canada. Salvini and fellow euro-skeptic coalition partner Luigi Di Maio, of the 5-Star Movement, agreed to back Conte so their parties could govern.