Canadian politicians are firing back after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump suggested that Canada should become the 51st state.
On Monday, following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement of his resignation, Trump suggested once again that Canada should consider merging with the United States in order to get relief from the high trade deficits and subsidies the country is facing.
“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!” he continued.
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Last November, Trump threatened to impose a 25-per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico, once he is sworn into office in January, which prompted an emergency meeting between Trudeau and the country’s premiers.
Several economists have predicted that the ruling would be “devastating to workers and jobs” in both countries.
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CANADIAN POLITICIANS REACT TO TRUMP
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been vocal about fighting back against the looming tariff threat and responded to jabs remarks on Monday, joking about buying Alaska as a counter offer.
Since then, Ford has appeared on multiple American news channels defending his stance that Canadians and Ontarians will fight the tariffs.
Yesterday, the Ford government announced it’s boosting security at the Canada-U.S. border and adding 200 officers to tackle criminal activity, including the transfer of illegal drugs.
On Wednesday, Ford also chimed in on Trump’s latest poke at Canada.
“Our country is not for sale. It will never be for sale but I think if we work together and have an incredible trade deal, we can be the most richest, wealthiest, prosperous, safest jurisdiction, anywhere in the world if we work together,” he said at an unrelated press conference in Darlington, ON.
After Trump initially referred to Canada as the 51st state back in December, Trudeau didn’t publicly comment on the remarks, but now he has broken his silence.
“There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States. Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner,” he posted on X on Tuesday.
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Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre affirmed his stance against Trump’s suggestion.
“Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country. We are the best friend to the U.S. We spent billions of dollars and hundreds of lives helping Americans retaliate against Al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks. We supply the U.S. with billions of dollars of high-quality and totally reliable energy well below market prices. We buy hundreds of billions of dollars of American goods,” he said on X on Tuesday.
Poilievre goes on to say that if elected prime minister, he will put the country first by rebuilding the military and taking back control of the border for both sides.
Meanwhile, New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh posted a video on X calling the U.S. president-elect an “internet troll” and a “bully.”
“I don’t think that’s the way you act as a president and that’s certainly not the way you interact with other countries. But as I mentioned, I’ve dealt with bullies throughout my life and I know what it’s like,” he said.
“Even if you’re the smaller guy, even if you’re outnumbered. You got to make it not worth the bullies. While bullies only understand strength. They only understand strength and pain, so you have to make sure you’re standing up and showing that if you want to take that decision to pick a fight with us, it’s going to hurt you too,” he continued.
He concludes the video by proposing a challenge for anyone running to be prime minister and urging every candidate to respond to Trump’s threats with retaliatory tariffs.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May clapped back at Trump’s claims calling them bizarre.
“Sorry Donald Trump. As kind as your offer might be that we should be the 51st state, it’s a hard no on that…Newsflash Donald Trump, we are not aspiring to be a 51st state. We are already a sovereign country. We are a nation,” she said in a press conference on Monday.
“No matter how many Trump photos of him in business suits striding Swiss mountains he posts with a Canadian flag, we’re not intimidated…We do not strive to be a 51st state. We are a G7 country,” she continued.
Trump is set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
