President-elect Donald Trump took a jab at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday, calling him a “governor” and referring to Canada as a “great state,” yet another suggestion by the incoming president that this country should be part of the United States.
Trump apparently joked about Canada becoming the 51st state during his dinner with Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago last month. In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump said if the U.S. is going to run up lopsided trade deficits with Canada, it might as well become a state.
“It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada. I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!” Trump said in a social media post.
It’s unclear why Trump is going public with this annexation taunt — it could be because Trudeau suggested Monday that Canada is prepared to take some sort of action against the U.S. if Trump does impose a punishing 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports.
“We will, of course, as we did eight years ago, respond to unfair tariffs in a number of ways and we’re still looking at the right ways to respond,” Trudeau said, referencing Canada’s response to Trump tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who was among the small Canadian contingent that dined with President Trump in Mar-a-Lago last week, responds to questions from reporters about Trump saying Canada could become the 51st state. LeBlanc says it was in no way a serious comment.
Asked about Trump’s annexation remarks and if it suggests he doesn’t take Canada seriously, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada is a great country.
“I am really clear about Canada. I know how lucky I am to be Canadian. I know what a great country we live in. And without being appropriately Canadian, nice to other countries, I want to say Canada is the greatest country in the world — I’m very clear on that, all of us are very clear on that,” she said.
Asked if Canada should take Trump seriously when he suggests this country may become part of the U.S., Freeland said reporters should ask the president-elect about how serious he is about that suggestion.
“I want to say to Canadians, our government is absolutely determined to defend the national interest, we will do so,” she said.
On Sunday, after Trump’s last Canada-U.S. taunt, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the president-elect was making these remarks because Trudeau is “weak” and Trump feels like he can take advantage of him.
“The bottom line is that Justin Trudeau is a weak leader and he gains no respect from countries all around the world,” Poilievre said.
“We will go into negotiations with our American friends in a position of strength rather than weakness. Canada will be independent, strong and proud,” he said.
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