On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made his first comment in response to repeated statements that the Canadian president would annex Canada and make it a 51st province.
Trudeau makes it clear that Trump's statements are not considered to be made of jokes, and believes the annexation is something that Canada needs to treat as a serious threat.
And he believes he knows why Trump longs for Canada.
“The Trump administration not only knows the number of important minerals we have, but that's even why they continue to talk about absorbing us and making us a 51st state. I suggest that it may be,” Trudeau said of the gathering of company executives and business leaders. In Toronto, people in the room heard his comments, according to people.
News media had been asked to leave the room when Trudeau made a comment, but at least two news outlets, the Toronto Star and the CBC, were able to hear and record them. Trudeau's office refused to provide details of what the Prime Minister said.
“They know our resources very much,” Trudeau added.
And he continued: “But Trump has in mind that one of the easiest ways to do that is to absorb our country, and that's true.”
Trump has been discussing Canada's annexation for weeks as he has laid the foundation for a plan to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian exports to the US.
On Monday, Trudeau and Trump agreed to a 30-day rescheduled on tariffs after pledging Canada to pledge to adopt a more stringent plan to secure a border with the US.
In comments to reporters in the oval office that day, Trump once again raised the issue of the nation. “What I want to see is Canada has become our 51st state,” he said. “I want to see it, but some say it's a long shot,” he added.
Canada has 31 minerals that are considered important for use in a variety of industries, including electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, and semiconductors. Among them, Canada is prioritizing the lithium, graphite, nickel, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements as part of its strategy to establish itself as a leader in a global transition away from fossil fuels.
Canadian Minister of Industry Francois Philippe Champagne said the supply chain is deeply integrated and the health of the US economy is dependent on Canada.
“This is about Canada, where I'm confident,” Champagne told reporters at a meeting Friday.
Canada is implementing border security plans in response to Trump's accusations that Canada is contributing to “large” fentanyl trafficking to the United States as part of its plan to dodge tariffs, but it also sought the border. Fentanyl surpasses.
These measures include 10,000 staff members assigned to the border, along with teams of helicopters, drones and dogs. The government also said it would be named “Emperor Fentanyl” to lead the response.
“We need to continue to be closely involved with the US and make claims and be very careful about how we can demonstrate that Canada is in charge of a small part of the North American fentanyl issue,” Trudeau said. I spoke to business leaders. But we are also deeply moved by this tragedy. ”
