• Source:JND
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has once again dismissed remarks made by US President-elect Donald Trump, who suggested that Canada could become the 51st state of the United States. Trudeau described Trump's comments as a mere distraction tactic.

"That's not gonna happen. Canadians are incredibly proud of being Canadian. One of the ways we define ourselves most easily is - we are not American," Trump said during an interview with CNN.

Trudeau's remarks came after Trump proposed imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports, requesting Ottawa to strengthen border security. The Canadian PM argued that the move would increase costs for US consumers and ultimately fuel inflation.

Trump is reportedly considering the idea of declaring a national economic emergency, a move that would potentially provide him with legal justification to impose tariffs, according to a Bloomberg report.

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In response, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cautioned that such a move would harm both economies. He emphasized that US consumers would ultimately face higher prices as a result of these tariffs.

Trudeau's Counter Offer To Trump

Trudeau also said that he once jokingly offered to trade California and Vermont for some Canadian provinces.

In an interview with MSNBC, Trudeau who recently stepped down from the PM's post amid internal rebellion, reflected on a conversation he had with Trump last November, during which Trump suggested the possibility of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States.

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Trudeau stated that in response to Trump's suggestion, he jokingly offered to trade a few states, specifically Vermont or California, in exchange. However, he added that Trump did not find his suggestion amusing.

Reacting to Trump's proposal, Trudeau earlier said, "There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States."