When I first heard on TV of Trump’s silly joke to make Canada his 51st American state, I wondered why American and Canadian media were making such a big fuss over a silly joke. That was what Europeans thought it was. Still many Canadians and Americans got worried and talked more about it; giving Trump the publicity he loves especially if it mentions his name.
Finally, Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney, at his first press briefing after being sworn-in as PM on March 14, put a stop to Trump’s nonsense. When he was asked by a journalist what he thought of Trump’s plan to annex Canada, the PM’s reply was brief. He dismissed the plan with a retort: “It’s crazy.”
When asked the same question at the G7 foreign ministers meeting that she was hosting in Quebec, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly repeated on March 14 the PM’s retort: “…not up for discussion. Period.” Next question.
Hopefully Canadians will now take the cue from their new Prime Minister and stop talking about Trump’s crazy joke. PM-designate Carney assured Canadians when he won the Liberal Leadership vote in February that “Canada is a sovereign country and will never ever be part of America in any way, shape or form.”
Canadians only have to look at Putin’s failure in Ukraine to believe their new Prime Minister. Putin tried to annex Ukraine because it used to be part of the USSR and he wanted it back. But even after more than three years of bombing with Russia’s military power including missiles and nuclear weapons – plus North Korean foot soldiers – Putin has not succeeded in annexing Ukraine.
If Trump tries to do a Putin on Canada with tariffs, he can’t succeed in four years and he only has four years to play as a grown-up at the White House. Hopefully he learns a lesson from his best friend Putin and stops playing silly, childish games because this April Fool’s joke is on him.
Eleanor R. Laquian, chair of CFNet editorial board
