Dismiss Trump taunts, expert says after 'churlish' social media posts about Canada

OTTAWA -

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and those in his corner continue to muse about annexing Canada, though Canadian officials have largely sidestepped those comments.

In a post on the social media platform X, Eric Trump shared a doctored photo of his father purchasing Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal on Amazon, with the phrase "We are so back!!!"

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Since winning the presidential election in November, Trump has repeatedly referred to Canada as the "51st state."

On Trump's Truth Social platform, he's also repeatedly referred to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the "governor" of Canada.

Trump has also threatened 25 per cent tariffs against Canada, which has prompted discussions at both the federal and provincial levels on the best way to deal with the incoming Trump government.

Carleton University professor Aaron Ettinger said federal officials have rightly been dismissing the social-media posts and maintained a "focus like a laser beam" on the real and "existential threat" of tariffs.

"This strikes me as being profoundly unserious," said Ettinger, who has studied Canada-U.S. relations during the first Trump presidency.

"These are taunts; these are churlish provocations that are not mature, and do not reflect just how serious the coming trade war is," he said.

Ettinger said Trump is likely continually posting about Canada because it plays well to his supporters, without being seen as a real threat of annexation.

"We know his moves. He makes fun of, he belittles, he mocks, because he can," he said. But he said that a vacuum of leadership in Ottawa from embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is spurring "the freelancing of some of the provincial leaders" in response to Trump's comments.

For example, Ontario Premier Doug Ford weighed in on Trump's postings on Dec. 18, telling media that "we'll never be the 51st state. We're Canada; we're proud to be Canadians. We'll always fight for that."

Ettinger said civil society is similarly better to focus on convincing Americans to not impose damaging tariffs on Canada, instead of amping up anti-Trump rhetoric.

"Canadians should worry first about what Canada's actual national interests are," he said. "We're not going to out-trash talk Donald Trump, so don't even bother trying and focus instead on the core stuff that really matters."

In response to Trump's threats, the Trudeau Liberal government has unveiled a $1.3 billion spending package over six years to address Trump's threats, which concern border security and the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.

Canada's ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman has repeatedly characterized Trump's comments as gentle ribbing between two close countries.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said on Dec. 13 that she has quipped to Republican senators that they could join Canada as the eleventh province.

Greenland's head of government, Mute Bourup Egede, suggested that Trump's latest calls to purchase the territory from Denmark would be as meaningless as those made in his first term.

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"Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale," he said in a statement. "We must not lose our years-long fight for freedom."

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino has also rebuffed Trump's musing about taking over the Panama Canal.

"Every square metre of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to," he said in a video, to which Trump fired back on his social media site, "We'll see about that!"

-- With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2024.