Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says talk of Canada becoming the 51st state is a distraction from more pressing threats of U.S tariffs on Canada and their likely impact.

In an interview that aired Sunday on MSNBC, he said Canada is ready to respond with retaliatory tariffs should president-elect Donald Trump follow through with a threat to impose 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico when he takes office next week.

Trump has also referred to Canada as the B次元官网网址�51st state,B次元官网网址� a notion federal cabinet ministers initially played off as a joke but now appear to be taking more seriously.

Appearing on B次元官网网址淚nside with Jen Psaki,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said Canadians need to take TrumpB次元官网网址檚 expansionist rhetoric seriously, and that there is a certain amount of B次元官网网址渇latteryB次元官网网址� in Trump seeing how great the country is.

B次元官网网址淎nd I know that, as a successful negotiator, (Trump) likes to keep people a little off-balance. The 51st state, thatB次元官网网址檚 not going to happen. ItB次元官网网址檚 just a non-starter. Canadians are incredibly proud of being Canadian,B次元官网网址� said Trudeau, who taped the appearance while in the United States to attend ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 funeral for former president Jimmy Carter.

B次元官网网址淏ut people are now talking about that, as opposed to talking about, for example, what the impact (would be) of 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum coming into the United States, on energy, whether itB次元官网网址檚 oil and gas or electricity.B次元官网网址�

Trudeau said he was able to negotiate with Trump in a mutually-beneficial Canada-U. S. free trade deal the last time each was in office, despite it being B次元官网网址渉ardB次元官网网址� because of TrumpB次元官网网址檚 negotiation behaviour.

B次元官网网址淏ut we got to a good outcome that was win-win for both of us,B次元官网网址� Trudeau told Psaki, a former White House press secretary.

As for Trump calling Trudeau a B次元官网网址済overnor,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said: B次元官网网址淚 have been in politics an awfully long time. I tend to focus on the substantive things, not on people choosing nicknames for me. I mean, if I was that thin-skinned, I probably wouldnB次元官网网址檛 last that long in politics.B次元官网网址�

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith made her own an appeal to Trump this weekend, posting on social media that she spent time at his Mar-a-Lago residence and met with him and key allies in the incoming administration.

Smith said the pair had a B次元官网网址渇riendly and constructiveB次元官网网址� conversation on the importance of the U.S.-Canada energy relationship, and how U.S. jobs are supported by Albertan exports.

In one photo she shared online, Smith is seen standing next to Trump and Canadian businessman Kevin OB次元官网网址橪eary.

B次元官网网址淥n behalf of Albertans, I will continue to engage in constructive dialogue and diplomacy with the incoming administration and elected federal and state officials from both parties, and will do all I can to further AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 and CanadaB次元官网网址檚 interests,B次元官网网址� Smith wrote.

B次元官网网址淲e need to preserve our independence while we grow this critical partnership for the benefit of Canadians and Americans for generations to come.B次元官网网址�

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Canadians need to B次元官网网址渂e readyB次元官网网址� for economic threats, saying all leaders need to put Canada first and show a united front.

B次元官网网址漌e have to be very realistic, very pragmatic, and we have to be ready, because something we canB次元官网网址檛 do is not to take president-elect Trump at his word. Because when he says something, he usually does it,B次元官网网址� she said Sunday on CBCB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淩osemary Barton Live.B次元官网网址�

She went on to say Ottawa is pursuing a strategy to engage the incoming U.S. administration through measures that include a new border plan, developing military alliances and co-operating on energy issues.

B次元官网网址淎nd at the same time, weB次元官网网址檙e working on a retaliation plan,B次元官网网址� said Joly.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 go into the details of that retaliation plan, because I think it would be a bad strategy. But what I can tell you is everything is on the table.B次元官网网址�

Former prime minister Jean Chr茅tien also weighed in on U.S relations over the weekend, spending his 91st birthday telling Trump to B次元官网网址済ive (his) head a shake.B次元官网网址�

In an opinion article published in the Globe and Mail on Saturday, Chr茅tien said his birthday called for celebration with family and friends, but also a look back at how the country has changed over the years. He made a pitch for Canadian politicians to work together against TrumpB次元官网网址檚 threats.

B次元官网网址淚 can tell you Canadians prize our independence. We love our country. We have built something here that is the envy of the world B次元官网网址� when it comes to compassion, understanding, tolerance and finding a way for people of different backgrounds and faiths to live together in harmony,B次元官网网址� wrote Chr茅tien, who was prime minister from 1993 to 2003.

B次元官网网址淲e built a nation across the most rugged, challenging geography imaginable. And we did it against the odds. We may look easygoing. Mild-mannered. But make no mistake, we have spine and toughness.B次元官网网址�

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2025.

Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press