Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada on Friday made his first feedback in response to President Trump’s repeated statements that he desires to annex Canada and make it the 51st state.
Mr. Trudeau made clear that he didn’t regard Mr. Trump’s statements as having been made in jest and believes annexation is one thing Canada must deal with as a severe menace.
And he believes he is aware of why Mr. Trump covets Canada.
“I counsel that not solely does the Trump administration know what number of essential minerals now we have, however which may be even why they preserve speaking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state,” Mr. Trudeau informed a gathering of firm executives and enterprise leaders in Toronto, in keeping with individuals within the room who listened to his feedback.
The information media had been requested to depart the room on the time Mr. Trudeau delivered his feedback, however not less than two information retailers, The Toronto Star and the CBC, had been capable of hear them and document them. Mr. Trudeau’s workplace declined to supply particulars of what the prime minister mentioned.
“They’re very conscious of our assets,” Mr. Trudeau added, “of what now we have, they usually very a lot need to have the ability to profit from these.”
And he continued: “However Mr. Trump has it in thoughts that one of many best methods of doing that’s absorbing our nation. And it’s a actual factor.”
Mr. Trump has been speaking about annexing Canada for weeks as he has laid the groundwork for plans to impose 25 % tariffs on Canadian exports to the US.
On Monday, Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Trump agreed to a 30-day reprieve on tariffs after Canada pledged to undertake a extra stringent plan to safe its border with the US.
Throughout feedback to reporters that day within the Oval Workplace, Mr. Trump once more raised the statehood concern. “What I’d wish to see, Canada grow to be our 51st state,” he mentioned. “I’d like to see that, however some individuals say that may be a protracted shot,” he added.
Canada is house to 31 minerals thought-about essential to be used in numerous industries, together with for electrical automotive batteries, photo voltaic panels and semiconductors. Of these, Canada is prioritizing lithium, graphite, nickel, copper, cobalt and uncommon earth components as a part of a technique to place itself as a frontrunner within the international transition away from fossil fuels.
The provision chain is deeply built-in, and the well being of the U.S. economic system will depend on Canada, mentioned François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s trade minister.
“That is a couple of assured Canada,” Mr. Champagne informed reporters at Friday’s assembly.
As a part of its plan to fend off tariffs, Canada is implementing a border safety plan in response to Mr. Trump’s accusations that the nation is contributing to “large” fentanyl trafficking to the US, although Canada is chargeable for a tiny fraction of the fentanyl crossing the border.
These measures embrace 10,000 personnel assigned to the border, together with helicopters, drones and canine groups. The federal government additionally mentioned it could title a “fentanyl czar” to steer the response.
“We must be very deliberate about how we proceed to interact carefully with the US to make the case and exhibit that Canada is chargeable for a tiny a part of the North American fentanyl downside,’’ Mr. Trudeau informed the enterprise leaders, “however that we’re additionally bitterly touched by this tragedy.”