A CBC radio show is responding to heated comments from Canadians who think its latest episode is “entertaining” Trump’s 51st state idea.
A special edition of national phone-in show Cross Country Checkup, hosted by Ian Hanomansing and joined by Jeremy Hobson of NPR’s The Middle, sparked significant backlash before even hitting the airwaves over the weekend.
The controversy stemmed from the Sunday evening program’s title, “51st State: A Cross-Border Conversation,” and its initial question, “What does Canada as the 51st state mean to you?” which many Canadians saw as legitimizing the idea of annexation by the U.S., first suggested by President Donald Trump in early December 2024 prior to his inauguration.
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Prior to the show airing, the broadcasting agency quickly adjusted the question to focus on Trump’s comments rather than the idea of losing our sovereignty: What do you think of Trump’s comments about Canada becoming the 51st state?
The question posed is a routine effort by the weekly show which engages listeners on current topics, CBC News General Manager and Editor-in-Chief Brodie Fenlon said in a blog post.
“… The program asks its listeners to respond to newsy topics and questions. And they do, often with great passion and personal stories that shed new light on the news of the day and how it impacts regular people who don’t often get a microphone,” Fenlon wrote on Monday.
“The producers of Sunday’s show not only wanted to surface the great swell of upset and changing views about the United States that have washed over Canada in the weeks since the new administration began threatening Canada with tariffs and takeover, they also wanted to open a channel to regular Americans so people on both sides of the border could hear from each other without politicians in the mix.
However, upset Canadians accused CBC of engaging in treason, sedition and betrayal online.
“Who at the CBC thought entertaining the betrayal of our country is a good idea?,” one user on X questioned.
“As a CBC supporter, I feel betrayed that you are using the rhetoric of a bully and dignifying it with a response,” another X user said.
“I want you to know this is insulting to Canadians, suggesting for a nano second this is even a serious discussion point,” another user on the platform wrote. “As Canada’s national broadcaster you should be embarrassed and ashamed.”
But the show’s producers say they simply intended to explore shifting views on U.S.-Canada relations amid Trump’s rhetoric.
“It was never our intent to normalize the idea that Canada would ever become the 51st state,” Hanomansing stressed in the first few minutes of the episode.
“We are not in any way endorsing what Trump has been saying. The whole point of our show … is to hear what those of you who are listening and watching have to think. This is a place where people can speak out on issues where politicians up until now have been doing most of the talking.”
Despite the initial upset, the program ultimately facilitated meaningful cross-border dialogue, with many listeners appreciating the opportunity to hear from both Canadians and Americans.
