Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada on Friday made his first feedback in response to President Trump’s repeated statements that he needs 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 critical menace.
And he believes he is aware of why Mr. Trump covets Canada.
“I recommend that not solely does the Trump administration know what number of vital minerals we now have, however that could be even why they preserve speaking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state,” Mr. Trudeau instructed a gathering of firm executives and enterprise leaders in Toronto, in line with folks within the room who listened to his feedback.
The information media had been requested to go away the room on the time Mr. Trudeau delivered his feedback, however no less than two information retailers, The Toronto Star and the CBC, have been in a position to hear them and file them. Mr. Trudeau’s workplace declined to offer particulars of what the prime minister mentioned.
“They’re very conscious of our assets,” Mr. Trudeau added, “of what we now have, and so they 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 p.c tariffs on Canadian exports to america.
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 america.
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 change into our 51st state,” he mentioned. “I’d like to see that, however some folks say that will be a protracted shot,” he added.
Canada is house to 31 minerals thought-about vital to be used in varied industries, together with for electrical automobile batteries, photo voltaic panels and semiconductors. Of these, Canada is prioritizing lithium, graphite, nickel, copper, cobalt and uncommon earth parts as a part of a technique to place itself as a pacesetter 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 is determined by Canada, mentioned François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s trade minister.
“That is a few assured Canada,” Mr. Champagne instructed 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 america, despite the fact that Canada is liable for a tiny fraction of the fentanyl crossing the border.
These measures embody 10,000 personnel assigned to the border, together with helicopters, drones and canine groups. The federal government additionally mentioned it might identify a “fentanyl czar” to steer the response.
“We should be very deliberate about how we proceed to interact intently with america to make the case and show that Canada is liable for a tiny a part of the North American fentanyl downside,’’ Mr. Trudeau instructed the enterprise leaders, “however that we’re additionally bitterly touched by this tragedy.”
