Canadian lawmaker offers to take Washington, Oregon, California as new provinces
Jan 8, 2025, 2:56 PM
Elizabeth May. (Photo courtesy of 成人X站 7)
(Photo courtesy of 成人X站 7)
Canadian lawmaker Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, offered to accept Washington, Oregon and California as new Canadian provinces in a press conference Monday.
Canadian officials are dismissing U.S. President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 remarks about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state, saying the comments are no longer a joke and are meant to undermine America鈥檚 closest ally.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to belittle Trump,鈥� May said. 鈥淲e got a deal for you. You think we want to be the 51st state? Nah. Maybe California would like to be the 11th province. How about it? California, Oregon, Washington.鈥�
May called on the state governors of Newsom, Kotek and Inslee to 鈥減ut a referendum to your citizens.鈥�
鈥淗ave we got a deal for you,鈥� she added. 鈥淭his is what you get. Free health care, Universal free healthcare. No more one-year-olds who suddenly fall of the Medicaid list and their parents are in the news because they鈥檙e trying to do a GoFundMe so they can get their daughter a doctor.鈥�
鈥淕uess what,鈥� May continued. 鈥淭hose gun laws that your Congress is too afraid to pass because of the national gun lobby, we already got our strict gun laws. That鈥檚 why we have the safest streets in the world.鈥�
Canada鈥檚 point person for U.S.-Canada relations, Dominic LeBlanc, stated that what began as a joking comment has become a way for Trump 鈥渢o sow confusion, to agitate people, to create chaos knowing this will never happen.鈥� Trump first made the comment at a dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November.
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea, saying he would use 鈥渆conomic force鈥� instead of military action to acquire Canada. He also inaccurately described the U.S. trade deficit with Canada as a subsidy.
According to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Canada ships 4.3 million barrels of crude oil per day to the U.S., accounting for about 60% of America鈥檚 total energy imports. The U.S. consumes about 20 million barrels a day, while domestically producing about 13.2 million barrels a day.
LeBlanc stated that Trump鈥檚 rhetoric is 鈥渂ecoming very counterproductive.鈥� He has been in contact with incoming Trump administration officials to improve border security in an attempt to avert a 25% tariff threatened on all Canadian goods.
LeBlanc, recently appointed after the previous finance minister鈥檚 abrupt resignation, also announced he won鈥檛 seek to replace Trudeau as Prime Minister, to focus on the tariff threat. Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday and will stay on until a new Liberal leader is chosen.
鈥淭he timing is awful for sure,鈥� Liberal lawmaker Judy Sgro said regarding the leadership change. 鈥淏ut we will do what we have to do to ensure that Canada stands strong.鈥� When asked about Trump鈥檚 remarks, Sgro responded, 鈥淗e should focus on his own issues in his own country, because he鈥檚 got lots of them.鈥�
Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller called Trump鈥檚 comments 鈥渞idiculous,鈥� stating there is 鈥渘o chance of us becoming the 51st state.鈥� He added, 鈥淚 think that this is beneath a president of the United States.鈥�
Ontario Premier Doug Ford disputed Trump鈥檚 assertion that the U.S. doesn鈥檛 need anything from Canada. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know who is misinforming him,鈥� Ford said.
Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states, with nearly $3.6 billion Canadian worth of goods and services crossing the border daily. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S., and has 34 critical minerals and metals the Pentagon is investing in.
Ford also said that Canada would retaliate if tariffs are imposed, by targeting a wide range of U.S. products.
Foreign Minister M茅lanie Joly stated, 鈥淎t the same time we can鈥檛 take the bait. We have to show we have a strong economy and we are strong and we are not going to be annexed.鈥�
成人X站 7 News has reached out to the office of Elizabeth May for a comment.
