Roger-Luc Chayer (Photos: Getty Images)
President Trump has recently demonstrated his most basic inability in diplomacy and his lack of respect for the history of other countries, particularly that of Canada. During a visit by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Mar-a-Lago, following Donald Trump’s announcement of his intention to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian exports, the U.S. president-elect responded to Mr. Trudeau’s concerns in a provocative manner. He stated that if Canada’s economy was so vulnerable, it should simply become the 51st state of the United States, and Mr. Trudeau could then serve as governor, like any other U.S. state.
Since then, the president-elect, who will not officially take office until the end of January 2025, has doubled down this week. In a message posted on his Truth Social platform, he referred to Justin Trudeau as the « Governor of the Great State of Canada. »
By acting this way, Donald Trump demonstrates total disregard for history, confusing Canada with the United States and failing to understand what distinguishes the two countries. He also shows a complete lack of respect for the sovereignty of a country that is nonetheless an ally.
Even if he considers his remarks to be jokes, such statements are deemed unacceptable on the international stage. They cannot be perceived as mere jokes because they show contempt for a country’s history and identity.
Why Will Canada Never Become an American State?
It is important to highlight several factors that make a political and geographical union between Canada and the United States incompatible. First, the United States is a presidential republic, born out of a revolution against the British monarchy. In contrast, Canada is a constitutional monarchy whose head of state is King Charles III. Furthermore, Canada is built on two founding peoples: the French from New France and the British.
Socially, the two countries are diametrically opposed. In Canada, essential services such as education, healthcare, and many other programs are universal and free. In contrast, in the United States, these services are often private and not accessible to everyone.
Joking about Canada’s political status also ignores the reality of Quebec. Although it is a province, Quebec is also a distinct nation with its own language and laws that differ not only from the rest of Canada but even more so from those of the United States.
Saying that Canada should become an American state is like suggesting, even jokingly, that France should have become a province of Nazi Germany. If anyone finds such a comparison amusing, they would likely be someone whose mental state requires restraint in a psychiatric hospital. Perhaps this is what awaits Donald Trump one day if he continues to play with the identity flame of his greatest allies.