OTTAWA, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday a senior U.S. official's latest comment on Canada's independence is "crazy."
Taking reporters' questions following the swearing-in ceremony, the new prime minister gave a short and blunt answer to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's comment on Canada's independence on Canadian soil.
"It's crazy," Carney said. "That's it."
Rubio said on Friday at the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in La Malbaie, Quebec that U.S. President Donald Trump's position is that Canada would be better off joining the United States, defending Trump's repeated remarks of "making Canada the 51st state."
Carney said currently he has no plans to go to the United States and he looks forward to speaking with Trump "at the appropriate moment."
In his first speech as prime minister, Carney said his government will be focused on two priorities: protecting Canadian workers in the face of U.S. tariff threats and growing Canada by putting more money in Canadians' pockets.
Carney didn't confirm any plans to call an early election, hinting the major decision will be made soon.
"There will be other news in the coming days," he said.
Carney was sworn in as the 24th prime minister of Canada and appointed a new cabinet on Friday. ■
