US president-elect Donald Trump’s menace to show the world’s second-largest nation, Canada, into a part of america via “financial power” represents probably the most critical menace to Canadian sovereignty for the reason that Warfare of 1812.
That battle, fought over the course of three years, noticed the People mount 10 separate land incursions into Canada earlier than a peace treaty was ratified in 1815.
The concept the US would search to annex its northern neighbour, just like the Warfare of 1812 itself, has been left to the mists of time however Mr Trump has now made territorial growth a key a part of his presidency.
Within the guise of Nineteenth-century American presidents who purchased land or bullied their option to the continent’s west coast, Mr Trump floated the proposal of acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal by force – in addition to threatening to crush Canada economically if he didn’t get his method.
“Canada and america: That might be actually one thing,” mentioned the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago press convention.
“We do not want their vehicles. You recognize, they make 20% of our vehicles… we do not want their lumber. We have now large fields of lumber… we do not want their dairy merchandise. We have now greater than they’ve.”
Mr Trump didn’t marketing campaign for the presidency on annexing Canada, however since successful the election, he has usually aired the thought of constructing Canada “the 51st state.”
Donald Trump posted a map exhibiting Canada as a part of the US on his Fact Social platform
In Canada, leaders and analysts have merely chuckled via reply – or characterised his behaviour as a “negotiation tactic”.
However no one is laughing now.
The outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dropped his ineffectual attraction offensive with these phrases on X: “There is not a snowball’s likelihood in hell that Canada would grow to be a part of america.”
The leaders of the nation’s different fundamental events have additionally launched statements in defence of Canadian sovereignty.
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Mr Trump’s joke is popping into an existential disaster.
Canada’s 40 million individuals reside, for probably the most half, inside 100 miles or so of the US border they usually have achieved fairly effectively out of their relationship with America.
This yr, Canada will publish a commerce surplus of $70bn (£57bn), made up of a few of the issues Mr Trump famous on the press convention (lumber and vehicles) and a few issues he didn’t (oil and gasoline).
Canada additionally will get an excellent deal out of its safety partnership with the US. Whereas the People purchase tanks and planes and nuclear subs, the Canadians put their cash into faculties (among the many world’s finest), medical care (complete and publicly funded) and pensions (beneficiant and well-invested).
Mr Trump referred to as Canadians “good neighbours” at his press convention however the real-estate baron is aware of weak spot when he sees it and appears ready to make his neighbours undergo.
It poses essential questions as Canadians put together for a federal (basic) election within the spring. How a lot ache are they keen to take? In the end, what does it imply to be Canadian?
They will draw power from the Warfare of 1812. Small bands of British troopers, native militia and indigenous tribes held off the People as the 2 sides battled one another to one thing of a draw (the White Home in Washington and far of Toronto had been burnt within the course of).
Canada would do effectively to attain a draw this time round.
