U.S president-elect Donald Trump’s reported joke during a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Canada should become a 51st American state in the face of tariffs was “in no way a serious comment,” Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said.
In a surprise visit, Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday, where he met and had dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago property. The meeting came just days after Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian products coming into the United States unless Canada increase border security.
Details of their discussion remain scarce, but Trump said it was a “very productive meeting” and Trudeau called it an “excellent conversation.”
On Monday, Fox News, citing anonymous sources, reported that Trump suggested to Trudeau that if the tariffs would kill the Canadian economy then maybe it should become the 51st state.
LeBlanc, who was also at the dinner, was asked about those reports on Tuesday.
“We were in a three-hour social evening at the president’s residence in Florida on a long weekend of American Thanksgiving,” he told reporters before a cabinet meeting in Ottawa.
“The conversation was going to be lighthearted. The president was telling jokes. The president was teasing us. It was, of course, on that issue in no way a serious comment.
“We had a discussion on trade issues, on border security that was very productive, but the fact that there’s a warm, cordial relationship between the two leaders and the president is able to joke like that for us it was a positive thing.”
Other ministers in Trudeau’s cabinet also downplayed Trump’s reported remarks.
Tourism Minister Soraya Martínez Ferrada said: “I don’t think he doesn’t take Canada seriously. I think he does and that’s why he invited Trudeau to have a dinner with them.”
“Now, I think we’re going to have probably tough conversations, but I think they’re going to be good conversations,” Ferrada told reporters.
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Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the meeting signals how much importance Trump places on the Canada-U.S. relationship and any other suggestion is “silly talk,” which undermines the collective work of the premiers and Trudeau “to provide a unified and strong voice in the context of the forthcoming Trump administration.”
When asked about Trump’s 51st state remark, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne responded: “I’m proud to be Canadian.”
Champagne said the fact that Trudeau is the first G7 leader to be hosted by the incoming U.S. president is “really significant” and is a testament to the strategic nature of the relationship between the two neighbours.
“When president-elect Trump invites Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau as the first leader to go to Mar-a-Lago, I think it sends a big signal to the world that Canada’s a strategic partner.”
Justice Minister Arif Virani said that there are inherent challenges in the relationship with any U.S. administration, but what’s important is that Canada has a “working relationship” with Trump and that dates back to more than eight years, he said.
“I think the fact that we have that continuity and we have that experience in working with the Trump administration, working to defend Canada’s interests is what we will continue to do, and I think this dinner you had on Friday night is just an example.”
Trudeau, opposition leaders meet
Trump’s announcement last week, vowing to impose a 25-per cent tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico once he comes into office, has raised concerns among political leaders and different sectors in Canada who would feel its impact.
Trudeau, who said on Friday that Trump’s tariff threat should be taken seriously, met with opposition leaders in his office on Parliament Hill Tuesday afternoon to discuss the matter.
After the meeting, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre told reporters that a tariff on Canadian goods would be equally damaging to the U.S. as they would be to Canada.
“I told the prime minister that, of course, at every opportunity I will make those arguments and make Canada’s case on behalf of all Canadians to put Canada first, which is what we all need to do,” Poilievre said.
He also said he had demanded that Trudeau “fix the disorder that he’s caused at the border” and “reverse the job-crushing tax increases.”
“Trump’s tariffs would do damage, but Trudeau’s taxes are already doing that damage,” he said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he stressed to Trudeau that Trump’s threat needs to be taken seriously, and that border security was an area where the government can act “immediately.”
He said he called for hiring more Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) officers and to expand the CBSA’s mandate to include the entire border, rather than just official crossings.
“This is not just about making sure we prevent the trade tariffs that could hurt us directly, but it’s also in our interest to do this,” he said, pointing to illegal firearms and drugs that come into Canada from the U.S.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said parts of the plan to face Trump’s threat are exactly what his party had asked for a long time ago, including more resources at the border.
“We do not have the details of the numbers, but we know about the intention, which by itself is the beginning of a good thing, but we’ll see what it contains when it’s made public.”
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Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said Trudeau told the opposition leaders to make the case against tariffing Canadian goods to their U.S. contacts “with any positions of authority (and) political influence.”
She also said the leaders were urged to not amplify “lies” and attacks against Canada from the Trump administration and other American officials.
“We defend Canada, we are Canadians,” she said. “All members of Parliament regardless of party should be unified on this.”
Asked about Trump’s 51st state comment, May said it was not raised during the closed-door meeting.
“Not funny, by the way,” she added.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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