Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump might be serious about annexing Canada.
What Happened: Trump is keen to control Canada’s natural resources, Trudeau said in a closed-door session at an economic summit his office organized in Toronto with business leaders, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources. The business and labor leaders had gathered to discuss the next moves for the economy amid fears of a trade war with the U.S.
Trump has talked about making Canada the U.S.’ 51st state and using economic force to coerce the country to that end. Trudeau as well as other senior Canadian officials had previously played it down.
Trudeau on Friday also called for making the Canadian economy more resilient and said that the country needs a revised economic strategy to support growth as policymakers battle “more challenging long-term political situation with the United States,” the report said.
Why It Matters: Trump, over the last weekend, said he would impose a 25% tariff on non-energy imports from Canada and a 10% tariff on energy imports.
However, on Monday, Trump delayed the tariffs by 30 days after the Canadian PM agreed to reinforce the country’s border with the U.S. with new choppers, technology, and personnel to stem the flow of fentanyl and combat organized crime.
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