The Canadian Embassy in Washington admits it displayed large friendship banners that mistakenly proclaimed sovereignty over Greenland. The banners were on display more than a week before the Department of Foreign Affairs noticed, a spokesperson said yesterday.

“The banner was up for eight days,” said Pierre Cuguen, spokesperson for the department. “The banner was removed, corrected and re-hung.”

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly did not comment. Joly has stressed Canada does not claim sovereignty over Greenland.

“We want to make sure we abide by the international rules-based order,” Joly testified last May 4 at the Commons foreign affairs committee. “That’s exactly what we did with Denmark and Greenland.