On Tuesday, Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, has publicly denounced the idea proposed by President-elect Trump of making Canada the 51st state of the United States.
What Happened: Poilievre took to social media platform X to voice his disagreement with Trump’s proposition. He asserted, “Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country.”
Trump has been mulling over the idea of integrating Canada into the United States for several weeks. He clarified on Tuesday that he does not intend to employ military force, but rather “economic force” against the close U.S. ally.
Seizing this opportunity, Poilievre, who is a potential candidate for the next Prime Minister, criticized the current NDP-Liberal government and pledged to “fight for Canada.”
He outlined his vision for Canada, stating, “When I am Prime Minister, we will rebuild our military and take back control of the border to secure both Canada and the U.S. We will take back control of our Arctic to keep Russia and China out. We will axe taxes, slash red tape and rapidly green-light massive resource projects to bring home paycheques and production to our country.”
He concluded by saying, “In other words, we will put Canada First.”
Why It Matters: This development follows a series of events that have strained U.S.-Canada relations. In December, Trump humorously referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “Governor” of Canada, hinting at his idea of making Canada the 51st state of America. This was followed by reports that Canada might impose export taxes on goods like oil and uranium if Trump initiated a trade war.
This month, Trudeau announced his resignation amid internal conflict and tension over Trump’s tariffs. The following day, Trump suggested that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state, criticizing trade imbalances and subsidies.
Photo Courtesy: Eli Unger On Shutterstock.com
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