Ottawa expects Washington to respect Canada's sovereignty, Prime Minister Mark Carney told a press conference on Thursday, commenting on reports that US officials had secretly met with activists advocating the independence of the Canadian province of Alberta. "We expect the US administration to respect Canadian sovereignty. US President Donald Trump had previously called for Canada to join the United States and become the 51st state. The US leader referred to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his predecessor Justin Trudeau as governors. Canadian authorities have repeatedly rejected the possibility of joining the United States.