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Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has sharply responded to President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state, urging Trump to “give your head a shake!” Chrétien, who served as Canada’s prime minister from 1993 to 2003, joined the growing backlash against Trump’s comments, which many believe could strain relations with Canada, the U.S.’s closest ally.
In an article marking his 91st birthday, published in The Globe and Mail, Chrétien emphasized that Canada would never consider joining the United States. He condemned Trump’s remarks as “totally unacceptable insults and unprecedented threats” to Canadian sovereignty and independence.
“To Donald Trump, from one old guy to another, give your head a shake!” Chrétien said. “What could make you think Canadians would ever trade the best country in the world to become part of the U.S.?”
Trump’s expansionist rhetoric has also extended to other U.S. allies, including his claims that the U.S. should expand its influence to Greenland and even the Panama Canal. While European leaders have been more reserved in their responses, Canada has made its stance clear.
“If you think that threatening and insulting us is going to win us over, you really don’t know a thing about us,” Chrétien wrote. “We may appear easy-going, but we have strength and resilience.”
The U.S. relies on Canada for about 60% of its crude oil imports, and Canada is the top export destination for goods from 36 U.S. states. Every day, nearly $3.6 billion worth of goods and services cross the U.S.-Canada border.
Amid concerns over potential trade disruptions, Canadian officials are in discussions with the incoming Trump administration about increasing border security to avoid a 25% tariff that Trump has threatened on Canadian goods. During his first term, Trump imposed tariffs that sparked retaliatory measures, with Canada responding with billions in new duties in 2018 on U.S. steel and aluminum.
