Soon to be 51st US state?

Canadians outraged by Trump’s incorporation plans

(Bild: APA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Harry How)

The attitude of Canadians towards Donald Trump's idea of integrating their country into the United States is clear. The Republican's threat of "economic violence" and punitive tariffs is having the opposite effect: Canadian national pride is growing and people are emphasizing the differences to their overpowering neighbor to the south.

"There is not the slightest chance that Canada will become part of the United States," said outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a clear rejection of Trump, speaking from the hearts of many Canadians. People are concerned and worried about the future US president's initiative. 90 percent reject the future US president's call for Canada to become the 51st US state, according to a survey by the Angus Reid polling institute.

"We are a sovereign nation"
 "We are a sovereign nation with a unique identity and culture that deserves respect," says history student Michael Connolly from Alberta in the west of the country. "The government needs to stand up to American imperialism."

We may seem unconcerned and meek. But make no mistake, we have backbone and we are tough.

Jean Chrétien

There are sometimes jokes on the internet about the expansion plans: will the stars on the US flag be replaced by a maple leaf if Trump annexes Canada? And who will tell the British King Charles III, who is also Canada's head of state, that the Commonwealth is shrinking?

There are numerous differences
Comments in the online networks also point out the differences to the USA: the different pronunciation and sometimes different spelling in English. The fact that temperatures are measured in Celsius and not Fahrenheit, or that patients do not have to pay for a visit to the doctor.

US President Donald Trump with the outgoing Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau

(Bild: APA/AFP/Nicholas Kamm)

Even Trump's admirers take his obsession with uniting the two countries too far. "I'm very proud to be Canadian. I love traveling to the United States. I love doing business in the US, but Canada is my home," says Paul Koidis, a fan of the US president-elect from Toronto. People in the USA and Canada are culturally close, but the mentality is very different.

"Trump has united Canadians morethan ever before"
 "Trump has united Canadians more than ever before", writes former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in an open letter, calling Trump's comments an "unprecedented threat to our sovereignty". "We have built a nation on the roughest and most difficult terrain imaginable," the letter continues. "We may appear unconcerned and meek. But make no mistake, we have backbone and we are tough."

We have different values and they make it impossible to become one country.

Mark Brawley

Mark Brawley, US-Canadian professor of international relations at McGill University in Montreal, sees "clear differences" between the two nations. "We have different values and that makes it impossible to become one country." Free trade between Canada and the USA since 1994 has brought the two countries closer together. Now, however, Trump's provocations would trigger a backlash and "strengthen Canadian nationalism", the scientist notes.

"We don't want to be Americans"
 Trump's demand is also met with rejection in the French-speaking province of Québec in the east. Marie-Josée Roussy says that there is a lot of discussion about it among her family and friends: "My God, no! We don't want to be the 51st state. We are happy as neighbors, we help each other, we cooperate, but no, we don't want to be Americans," is the unanimous opinion.

"I notice the differences as soon as I cross the border," says Roussy, referring to the widespread gun violence, the huge wealth gap and the structural racism in the United States. Talk of a merger "is complete nonsense," says the Canadian. "But it's also starting to scare us."