Diyar Guldogan
21 August 2026•Update: 21 August 2026
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Thursday with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand to strengthen coordination between Washington and Ottawa on shared security, economic and regional priorities, the State Department said.
Spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio and Anand exchanged views on cooperation across the Western Hemisphere, including the two countries’ partnership in the Standing Group of Partners in Haiti.
They also discussed emergency earthquake assistance to Venezuela, Arctic security, and joint efforts to combat online scam centers, Pigott said in a statement.
Rubio and Anand further addressed Cuba, with the secretary underscoring the need for “immediate, significant, and irreversible reforms” on the island.
The closed-door meeting in Washington, DC came after US President Donald Trump said late Tuesday that he had paused a planned 50% tariff on Canadian goods ahead of a midnight deadline.
Anand, for her part, said she met with Rubio to advance shared security priorities and reinforce the importance of the bilateral relationship.
"I underscored the importance of Canada-U.S. cooperation in combating transnational fraudulent activity including scam centers.
"I also highlighted Canada's Arctic foreign policy and generational investments in continental security and NATO’s collective defense," Anand said on the US social media platform X.
She said they reiterated their commitment to supporting Haitian-led efforts to address the security and humanitarian crisis in Haiti and restore stability, including through the UN-authorized Gang Suppression Force.
"I highlighted that Canada will continue to engage constructively with the United States on trade and to strengthen our economic relationship. We agreed to speak again soon, including at the United Nations in September," she added.
