Politics

Canadian Politician Shades Trump With New Plan to Take Three U.S. States

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The two countries have been hashing it out the past week after the U.S. president-elect threatened to annex Canada through “economic force.”

Donald Trump and Green Party leader Elizabeth May.
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Canadians are biting back at Donald Trump after his threat to take over Canada.

Elizabeth May, a lawmaker who leads Canada’s Green Party, offered to take in California, Oregon, and Washington with the promise of some perks: free health care and stricter gun laws.

“We got a deal for you. You think we want to be the 51st state? Nah,” May said during a press conference Wednesday. “Maybe California would like to be the 11th province. How about it? California, Oregon, Washington?”

The two countries have been hashing it out the past week after the U.S. president-elect threatened to take Canada by economic force.

She then directed a message for the three state’s governors, Gavin Newsom, Tina Kotek, and Jay Inslee: “Want to put a referendum to your citizens?”

“Donald, think about it. You could get rid of all these states that always vote Democrat,” May said. “You know what else? We’ll take Bernie Sanders off your hands.”

May is not the first Canadian official to shoot back at the president. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Monday that instead of Canada becoming part of the U.S., the country could purchase Alaska and Minnesota.

“How about if we buy Alaska? And we’ll throw in Minnesota and Minneapolis at the same time. You know, it’s not realistic,” Ford said of Trump’s proposals. He later clarified that he was joking when he made the comment.

Other officials, including the outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said there “isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell” that Canada would become a part of the United States. That hasn’t stopped Trump from adding fuel to the fire on social media.

“We’re not a big nation for braggarts and bullies,” she said. “We actually like to think we’re of service in the world.”

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