The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Your Turn -- Is Trump Serious?

Episode Date: January 16, 2025

You have strong feelings on this issue of Trump's ramblings about the 51st state

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You're just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge of We Got Letters. Your turn really delivers this week on the question of, is Trump really serious about this 51st state business? We'll get to that. Plus the random ranter. Coming right up. And hello there, welcome to Thursday, welcome to Your Turn, welcome to lots of letters this week on this issue of, is Trump really serious about what he's saying about Canada?

I want to get right to it because there really are a lot of letters. I don't think we've ever seen this many letters. And you know what? Almost all of you kept to the conditions, kept it short, included your name and location. They're all there. There were a few that went over the limit, and as a result, as we warned earlier this week,

we're going to hold true to that cause. Here we go. First letter comes from Brian Hoyle in Bedford, Nova Scotia. For sure, Trump is serious about gobbling up Canada. Why? Water and rare earth elements. Water is necessary for life in a world becoming increasingly parched, and rare earth elements drive technology.

Oh, Canada, we stand on guard for thee. May well become real, not just a line in our national anthem. Josh Renaud in Montreal. Justin Trudeau is on CNN reminding us we're proud to be not American and calling for unity. But is Trump just holding up a mirror to the cracks in our national identity? Like any competent bully, he can spot a weakness, and our disjointed unity seems to be one of them. Beyond rejecting annexation, what does it even mean to be Canadian anymore? If we're post-national, as Trudeau said in 2015, what are we defending?

I'm not trying to be flippant here. There are countless things to be proud of as a Canadian. But it's also true that I've witnessed a decline in national pride, especially among younger Canadians. As the second Trudeau in our political history steps down, perhaps it's time for the nation to take its own walk in the snow. What does being Canadian mean? And how do we want to define ourselves in the face of Trump's America?

Interesting letter there, Josh. You know, no one is exactly sure what Trudeau meant when he told the New York Times that Canada is the world's first post-national state, but he explained it this way. There's no core identity, no mainstream in Canada. There are shared values, openness, respect, compassion, willingness to work hard, to be there for each other, to search for equality and justice. Matt McDonald in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Why we get sucked into the 51st state nonsense is beyond me.

Stop giving him a platform. There were a few like that. Jonathan Young wrote to us from Brussels, Belgium. The notion of the 51st state was originally part of a conversation at the Meatloaf at Mar-a-Lago mini-summit, where apparently Trump first brought up the idea. It was seen then as a joke. Then it got traction. It got attention. And if we know anything about Trump after all of these years, is that if something he says gets attention, he keeps talking about it. If he keeps repeating it, people start to contemplate the possibility of it becoming a reality. So on that rationale, yes, he's serious He will pursue it, as long as we keep talking about it

Jason Brough in Negawack, New Brunswick It's about an hour southeast of Bathurst I think he thinks he's being serious, but that is as far as it goes It will ruin the U.S. if he attempts to take it any further than his usual reality TV show dialogue. Joshua Winters in Surrey, B.C. Trump looks at us as if we're some struggling firm, just begging for a hostile takeover. He doesn't care about our people or our history. He just sees rare earth elements, lumber, oil, fresh water, and of course dollar signs. We're less a state to be brought in and more a ripe new region to plunder.

Mike Roberts in Kingsley Falls, Quebec. That's a couple of hours northeast of Montreal. Trump often says things in speeches, interviews, or conversations that are just things that pop into his mind. Some jokes, some serious thoughts, and things he's read or someone has suggested to him in conversations. I believe in this case it may have been something someone suggested in jest, and he repeated it. The problem is Trump listens for an echo. If there is no echo,

he moves on. But if there is an echo, especially if it starts bouncing off multiple walls, the more he will repeat it. If it had been ignored by the media, it would have ended there, but it wasn't. Will Canadians start to consider the idea? I think yes, they might. If our money was converted to U.S. dollars at par, our wealth would jump 30%, as would our buying power. We would all of a sudden have the most advanced military in the world. That's one way of looking at it.

Paula Gratton in Miramichi, New Brunswick. I don't know that I believe Trump is serious, but I do believe he has something up his overpriced sleeve. He's like a dog with a bone, and right now our country is his bone. Until another bigger, more enticing bone is thrown his way. His jaw is locked. Although I don't know what he's planning. I'm watching anxiously because nothing good ever comes from his ideas.

Christine McDonald in LaSalle, Ontario. Of course he wants to get hold of us. He will make our lives miserable, and it won't bother him. Yes, I take this seriously from a person who would bury his children's mother on a golf course. That's a reference, of course, to Ivana Trump. She is indeed buried at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. There is some speculation, not confirmed by anyone, that by burying her there, Trump can argue that the golf course is a graveyard,

and under New Jersey law, it would be exempted from any taxes. Once again, that's just speculation. Lita Field in Picton, Ontario, two and a half hours east of Toronto in Prince Edward County. I believe he is serious. First of all, the man has no sense of humor. Canada also has a lot of what he wants in terms of natural resources, and I believe he believes what Putin believes. He has the right to take over whatever he desires.

He's not a democratic leader. He's an autocrat. Doug Hubble in Guelph, Ontario. I believe that Donald Trump is 100% serious about making Canada the 51st state. The U.S. is the world's largest economy and they need our critical resources. Our federal government has shown they are either unwilling or unable to access these resources for trade. A couple of facts. The U.S. is Canada's top destination for critical mineral exports, according to data from the Natural Resources Canada in 2023.

Canada exported 59% of its mineral exports to the U.S. There are people, including Jagmeet Singh, who are asking the federal government to stop all exports of critical minerals. Tyler Smalley in L'Assomption, Quebec, about an hour northeast of Montreal. I'm an American expat and now proud Canadian citizen. So is Trump serious about the 51st state of Canada? Not entirely.

I think that the provinces are not relevant to the goal. But I do think there is a very serious possibility that we will make a play to take or purchase the territories. Taking everything north of the 60th parallel, coupled with Greenland, would give the U.S. total control of the emerging northwest passage. Emerging? I guess that's a reference to the ice melt. But the passage is there, and I've been through it. It's capable to take passage. Now, at this moment, only for a few months a year,

but it could be for a lot longer than that as the ice melt continues. Kelly Pratt in Guelph, Ontario. I feel Trump initially threw out the 51st state idea as a joke to demonstrate he could say something and no one would oppose him. Similar to his 2016 remark, I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters, okay? I think it was also intended to be a distraction from the legal issues he was facing

and his questionable picks for the various positions in his administration. He likes the idea of being the so-called strong man and wants to be like Putin and Xi. Laura Plant in Chilliwack, B.C. I had a visceral response to hearing Trump say Canada should become the 51st state. And I was very happy to hear our PM respond with, not a snowball's chance in hell. He sees an opportunity for a North American union like the EU with a common currency and an expansion of U.S.

territory. Rather than be distracted by his outrageous ideas, Canadians should take this opportunity to let our response to Trump unite us. It can remind us that we all have far more in common with one another, regardless of what side of the aisle we're on, than we have with Mr. Trump. Canada Day 2025, it could be one for the books. Well, we didn't see unity yesterday, at least among the first ministers. Alberta was offside in the position that the rest of the country wanted to take in a move to try and protect its oil resources

in terms of where they can export them. Tim Stott of Kennesota, Manitoba, that's north of Winnipeg on the shores of Lake Manitoba. Tim writes, we should be concerned if Canada has a fractured response to Trump's threats of tariffs on 51st State. Until we as a country can agree on a response and have one leader that's willing to stand up for all of Canada and unite this country, we are playing directly into his game. Gabor Palfi in Toronto. He wants Canada to show our cards first by reacting to his wild statements. Seems like he's expecting us to negotiate against ourselves without first knowing his actual terms. Typical zero-sum dealmaker thinking.

I don't win unless you lose. Jeff Ware in Toronto. We definitely should take Trump at his word. Those who don't take that threat seriously do so at their own peril, even if it's just a negotiating tactic. We can't know for sure and we will never be sure if he will ever be satisfied. And I also don't think kowtowing will work this time, as we've already seen with Trudeau and Daniel Smith gaining nothing after meeting with him. The premiers, therefore, should fight fire with fire and show courage and fortitude and stand up for Canada and our sovereignty. At a minimum, it would show Trump and the rest of the MAGA crowd that we have a backbone and will fight for our country.

I'd rather grin and bear the next four years with some price turbulence than kiss the ring of an overgrown Joffrey Lannister. You know who Joffrey Lannister is? Fictional character from the fantasy novels turned into the Game of Thrones on TV. He's characterized as a spoiled, sadistic bully. Bob Chaffron in Encino, California. That's a suburb of Los Angeles. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would say Canada's sovereignty is in jeopardy. Donald Trump will attempt to take over Canada, first by destroying your economy with punitive tariffs.

If that fails, he'll attempt military action. Canada should fight back by cutting off all oil, potash, uranium, electricity and water exports to the U.S. He told you what he is going to do, and Canada needs to show strength. That is all he knows. Michael Pash in Victoria, BC. Is the devious trickster kidding? The one perverse way in which he tends to be truthful is that he will tell you what's on his mind. When he first mentioned Greenland, he telegraphed his intentions.

Watch out, I thought. We'll be next. And so we are. Kim Martin in Hamilton. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert at translating what Trump says versus what he means. But what I hear him saying is North America's northern border is undefended. Canada has not remotely kept up militarily, and if an aggressor decided to get to America through Canada, America would have to be the one to deal with it anyway. Canada has been told repeatedly by many to fix this. We have not.

Therefore, he comes up with a different plan to ensure safety. If this is what he actually means, then what he is saying is valid, and he is serious about fixing this problem. There are not peaceful times. These are not peaceful times we are all living in after all. John Backer in Eagle Bay, BC. That's on the southern shore of Shuswap Lake, west of Revelstoke. Beautiful country. Trump tariffs

are meant to finance tax cuts that will benefit the billionaires. You're going to like what the ranter has to say today, John. However, they will cause trade wars and lead to the Trump recession or depression. Talk about taking over Canada is just a distraction from the real aim of Trump to enrich himself. Neil Douglas Fraser in Edmonton. I absolutely take his words seriously.

We cannot ignore the building strength of Trump's autocratic return to power. Danielle Smith flying to Mar-a-Lago to watch him golf and kiss his ring before he takes the reins of the most powerful job in the world is a perfect example of this. Afterwards, Smith comes out and says that if Canada were to combat Trump's 25% tariff by blocking energy exports, it would spark a national unity crisis. I mean, come on. Can no one see that Trump is doing the exact same thing to Canada as he did to his own country. Stoke polarization, turn up the heat on rhetoric, and demand unfettered loyalty in exchange for limited protections.

Canada, wake up! We cannot sit on the sidelines and laugh at the Trump circus anymore. We're now swinging from the trapeze and holding on for dear life. Kevin Boyce in Toronto. Trump's threat is very real and we are naive to think otherwise. The U.S. views Canada through two strategic lenses, energy and resources now, and water later. For decades, the U.S. has considered Canada's vast natural wealth as essentially theirs for the taking. Trump is just the first U.S. president to openly disclose those long-term ambitions.

Nathaniel Hayes in Kobe, Japan. Yes, I think Trump is serious. History shows that the U.S. has always wanted to bring the entire continent, but specifically Canada, under its control, whether it was during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, or the calls for 54-40 or fight in the West. All of these events represent the idea of manifest destiny. However, my main reason for believing the seriousness of the President's comments is because of the Ukraine War.

The war shows that great power politics are acceptable once again, and that borders are negotiable. President Trump likely believes that as the current greatest power, the U.S. also has a right to expand its territory. If you aren't familiar with that 5440 reference, in the 1840s, there was no clear border between the U.S. and British North America. In the American election of 1844, U.S. President James Polk campaigned for 54-40 or fight. He wanted the American border to be set at 54 degrees, 40 minutes latitude, just below the Russian territory of Alaska. He won the election but chose not to fight because a war with Mexico had begun in 1846. The British had wanted their border to be further south,

following the Columbia River to the 42nd parallel, but in the end it was set at the 49th parallel, except for Vancouver Island, which would remain British even though it dipped below this line. The border treaty was signed in June of 1846. Debbie Fletcher in southwest Ontario, or Sutton West Ontario. That's on Lake Simcoe, north of Toronto. I'm amazed that the world is giving this blowhard a platform on this 51st state stuff. Can we believe even 1% of what comes out of Donald Trump's mouth? I'm reminded of lesson one from Timothy D. Snyder's book on tyranny.

Snyder's the Yale historian. Do not obey in advance. We give him the power when we give him the time. John McRae in Roebuck, Ontario, Eastern Ontario, less than 30 minutes from the U.S. border. Trump, Putin, Xi, and others are similar fellows who take what they want when possible. All three have attractive properties nearby.

If push comes to shove, I will march my 73-year-old self down to the Augensburg-Prescott Bridge and take a stand there a la Tiananmen Square, standing in front of the tanks. Jill Keenly's side in Witchwood-Elmer, just across from Ottawa. Nothing makes Trump happier than to make people's heads explode. He says outrageous things and watches the news cycle for days. He's not in power yet, and look how he made the Prime Minister of Canada resign.

We're small fry. Canada, Greenland, Panama. And as of Monday, he has to begin implementing a thousand promises he made, including ending two major wars. His people will negotiate a deal with Canada. It'll be nominally better than the USMCA, which was nominally better than the NAFTA. And he'll declare it the best deal ever. That's who Trump is. Brian Hillis in Guelph, Ontario. I truly respect Dr. Janice Stein, but I disagree with her assertion that America will never use its military capabilities to seize Canada.

I believe there are too many variables at play in the world to make that prediction. Americans are no longer friends or good partners to Canada. Americans prove that in their vote. Daniel Segrow, Port Sydney, Ontario, minutes outside of Huntsville. My answer on Trump is when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. Maya Angelou said that.

Joanne Van Vulpen in Sundridge, Nova Scotia. When Trump suggested Canada become the 51st state, it was little more than another of his spontaneous comments meant to insult and antagonize. The very fact that such an idea might occur to Trump speaks to his sense of grandiosity, which appears to have no limits. The significance of such a statement coming from the soon-to-be president of the U.S.,

however, made it real, and now I believe he is in fact serious because the world has taken it seriously. Henceforth, we will be relentlessly targeted, if merely so he can save face. Harold Gold in Calgary, Alberta. When it comes to people like Donald Trump, we must take them seriously and literally. He's shown his admiration for authoritarian leaders like Putin and desperately wants to be viewed by them as one of their own and be respected by them. The surest way to do so would be to annex other countries by whatever means he can get away with. This should be a wake-up call for Canada.

We can no longer rely on the U.S. to be an ally or even our largest trading partner going forward. The need to diversify buyers for our resources is greater now than it has ever been. You know, what did I tell you? Lots of letters today, and there's still lots more to come. And you know what the best part about it? People kept them short. They made their point. It's really good this way.

As I said, we've got lots more to come, but we've got to take our first break, and we've got to hear from the random ranter, and then we'll get back to letters. So let's go in that order, starting with the break. And welcome back. You're listening to the Thursday episode of The Bridge. It's your turn.

You're listening on Sirius XM, Channel 167, Canada Talks, or on your favorite podcast platform. Glad to have you with us. Lots more letters to come, but first of all, let's hear from the Random Ranter, because he's got lots of thoughts on this subject. Not surprisingly, he's got lots of thoughts on this subject, as well as your letters.

So here we go. This week's Random Rant-er. The United States has been a country in decline for a while now. And all this Trump nonsense about annexing Canada is just further proof that they've reached the edge of a precipice. I don't buy that it's a strategy because I don't think Trump is capable of an elaborate plan. And when politicians like Trudeau and Ford call Trump a savvy negotiator, they're only saying it because they know he's a thin-skinned idiot who responds to flattery. Look, America survived Trump 1.0, but 2.0? Good luck. They can forget making us the 51st state, because once the

economic turmoil of Trump slapping tariffs on the world is felt, they'll be lucky if they manage to keep the 50 they already have. But all that said, there's no stopping the tariffs, and there will be no negotiating them away. They aren't about border security, they're not about fentanyl, and they're not even really about the trade deficit. They're all about raising revenue for Trump's external revenue service as part of his cockamamie plan to cut income taxes for the very rich by shifting the tax system away from a progressive income tax where the rich pay more to a system based on consumption. That's right,

for all this spin about foreign countries paying the tariffs, it's actually and factually going to be American importers paying them and then passing them on to the American consumer. That's why tariffs normally get used sparingly and strategically. But Trump is looking at blanket tariffs and not just against Canada. It's Mexico, it's China, it's even Denmark if they don't give up Greenland. It's going to trigger massive inflation in the US and it's regular Americans that are going to bear the brunt of it. The millionaires and billionaires they'll be the beneficiaries of all this and that's concerning to me. Think about it, in the United States two-thirds the

wealth is controlled by just 10% of the population. What's going to happen when things get much worse for the 90%? Outside of Daniel Smith, that's actually what has me most worried about this whole mess. I mean, as much as Trump's 51st state talk riles me up, and as much as his annexation fantasies worry me, I'm actually more concerned about how we as Canadians will be affected if and when the whole thing melts down in the U.S. Think about it. You've got a morally bankrupt president with a solid track record of actual bankruptcies, and he's surrounding himself with the richest men on the planet to tackle the economy and taxes. Now those guys aren't there to share their insights. They're not there out of patriotic duty. They're not there to share their wealth. And they're not there looking out for the little guy. They're there to make themselves richer and nothing else. Democrat or Republican, this will not end well for regular Americans.

And look, as Canadians, the last thing we need is an America in crisis. Or should I say, an America in more crisis. Because the fact that they elected Trump again reeks of distress. The American people are angry. They're disgruntled and they're tribal. The only thing they seem able to agree on is feeling victimized. So how are they going to react when Trump's tariffs hit them at the gas pump, in the grocery aisle, and on the car lot? Will there be civil unrest? And if so, what's that going to look like under Trump 2.0? He's already drunk on power, surrounded by lackeys, and unchecked by Congress, the courts, and basic human empathy. If protests arise like they did in his first term, I can't see him holding back in the least.

There will be bloodshed. It will be ugly. And like it or not, we'll have front row seats. Trump isn't going to make America great again. He's going to drive it off the cliff And the tariffs, that's just the beginning There you go, the random ranter As I said, he's kind of in sync with some of our writers this week Let's get right back to our letters Because I still got quite a few to go Richard Favreau in Kelowna, BC let's get right back to our letters, because I still got quite a few to go.

Richard Favreau in Kelowna, B.C. Trump, or those advising Trump, are dead serious about annexing Canada to help build Fortress America. We can all list the resources that the U.S. needs from Canada. Of equal interest is Canada's human capital. The 54-40 or fight, oh, I'm sorry, the vast majority of our population lives within a few hundred

kilometers of the USA- Canada border. Our population is well educated and productive and we share a common language. Adding the gross domestic product of 40 million Canadians would dramatically improve U.S. economic might. Good point there from Richard.

David Sward from Stittsville, Ontario. That's just outside Ottawa. Trump is now a one-term president seeking a legacy with permanence. That is territory acquisition. that's what it is annexing canada is extremely difficult my concern is the provinces because they have a legislative mechanism to secede for example trump could make a very attractive offer to alberta for some form of economic union the current unity dispute over leverage, energy, exports doesn't help. Divide and conquer. Cindy Zampa in Airdrie, Alberta. Trump's comments are as serious as the tactics used by a schoolyard

bully to seek a lunchbox. Steal one. Why do I think he's serious? He has a history of targeting the vulnerable to gain whether, whatever, sorry, I'm not reading very well today. Targeting the vulnerable to gain whatever he selfishly desires, and it's a strategy that has repeatedly proven successful for him. A bully delivers threats disguised as jokes to make others feel uncomfortable, while also creating an exit plan so they can proclaim, don't be so sensitive, it was just a joke. I remain hopeful that Canada will galvanize its strength. Stay calm and carry on. Frank Hendrickson in Bainesville, Ontario. That's eastern Ontario, just before the Quebec border. Trump sees an expansion of U.S. territory as a golden opportunity to cement his name in history.

This is his last kick at the can, and what would make him stand out more among all his predecessors than a doubling of the American landmass? It's the ultimate legacy project. David Prime in Ottawa. I think we have no choice but to take Trump seriously when he talks about Canada becoming the 51st state. He has a history of saying outlandish things

and then doubling down when he sees the least bit of traction. Such as he's getting from that. I don't say it lightly, that fool Kevin O'Leary. Unfortunately, Trump is finding cracks in a unified response from Canada, as demonstrated by Danielle Smith's shameful unwillingness to be part of the response from all of Canada's premiers and the federal government. We're about to be in a trade war, but apparently Alberta isn't interested in sending any troops. Jeff Lozansky in Windsor. On the evening of January 19th, Mr. Trudeau should assemble his cabinet. They should invoke the Emergency Act. Then they should

order all the borders sealed, turn off all pipelines, disconnect the electrical hookups. The Americans will find it impossible to react on the 20th due to the inauguration. Financial and commodities markets will go crazy. There will be chaos for Trump to deal with all the fallout. Three days before leaving office, Trudeau should rescind the act

and walk away with his head held high. Well, there's a plan. Nargis Taylor in Mississauga, Ontario. Trump is just distracting everyone from all the crazy people he's putting into power. He'd love to take over Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal. Power is everything to him, but he knows none of these things will actually happen. Who in their right mind is everything to him, but he knows none of these things will actually happen. Who in their right mind is going to let it? Julian Murray in Kitchener, Ontario.

Trump is undoubtedly serious about wanting Canada to be absorbed into the United States. Immediately after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he made glowing statements about Putin's genius and savvy. I'm unaware of anything he has said which would indicate he values the principle of national sovereignty among nations or condemns imperialist expansionism. What Trump values is power and praise for himself. Wade Giffen in Vernon, B.C. Trump throws bombs.

He throws everything at the wall to see what sticks in the attempt to get something he wants or a portion of what he wants through negotiation. He behaves like the big dog in the fight whereby he'll threaten to penalize you for not giving him what he wants. Trump, I feel, seems to think a good majority of Canadians do not like the current situation they're in.

High cost of living, high taxes, high deficits, high debt, lack of housing, lack of health care, and the list goes on. The average Canadian's living standards have continually dropped with no real signs of improvement. Do I think Canadians would actually consider becoming a 51st state? No. Is Trump throwing a bone to the Canadian people for consideration if things continually get worse?

Maybe. John Dunn in Cali, Alberta, that's southern Alberta, west of Lethbridge. President-elect Trump is transactional. Everything's negotiation, and projecting strength in the face of perceived weakness is simply part of his game. I had some very peripheral visibility to President Trump early in his first term through his reversal of Obama's veto of the Keystone XL pipeline. A meeting in the Oval Office in front of the cameras with the project's executives,

union leaders, and state politicians as a backdrop was a feast of classic Trump bluster. But following the scrum, my colleagues reported that there was a private meeting with Trump which could not have been more different. Trump demonstrated a knowledge and interest in all aspects of the project. It was for Trump all about the deal. Similarly, Trump's bluster on social media and in front of the cameras on Canada as the 51st state is just part of the show. Clearly, Trump believes that there are spoils to be had for Canada, a future beneficial deal for himself and his presidency.

But no, it's not Canada itself. Aaron Conser in Sherwood Park, Alberta. Just on the boundary of Edmonton. I think it's about Trump's ego and about wanting to emulate Putin and Xi and their actions, especially Putin's invasion of Ukraine. I think this whole situation is his simple attempt to copy leaders that he believes to be worth copying, as he seems incapable of nuance, character, and subtlety. This problem becomes more serious as Trump assumes control of the

American military arsenal and is attempting to place his lackeys into powerful roles to enact those whims. Ben King, a Canadian living in Glasgow, Scotland. Lucky guy, Ben. While Trump's intentions are still unclear, I worry about the balance tipping towards him, being serious because of the people in his ear. The Donald can be swayed by big, popular personalities with name recognition. If we get more conservative or right-wing celebrities

like Kevin O'Leary trying to broker a deal with him to purchase Canada, I fear that it could push this over the edge. Jason Elliott Benda in Champaign, Illinois. I do not think Donald Trump is serious about statehood for Canada. Jason Elliott Benda in Champaign, Illinois. I do not think Donald Trump is serious about statehood for Canada. It would damage his position in the Senate and likely the House as well, as Canadian support for Republicans seems low. This line also serves to blunt other statehood talk for actual U.S. possessions,

like the District of Columbia in Puerto Rico. John Minchell in Comox Valley, B.C. I think Donald Trump is serious about the 51st state thing. If you look back at Trump's first term and his campaigns, he's always at least tried to do what he said, even if he has prevented from doing some things in his first term by those around him. I believe Trump to be serious, and we need to start taking him at his word. Bud Taylor in Richmond, Virginia.

We had quite a few letters from Canadians in the U.S., but not just Canadians in the U.S., but not just Canadians in the U.S., just some Americans who listen to the podcast, and we'd love to have them with us. Bud Taylor in Richmond, Virginia, writes, Yes, Trump is serious. For most of my lifetime, Canada has been the economic 51st state of the U.S. Trump smells blood and will use his economic power to weaken Canada

and steal its political sovereignty. Trump never would have sent water bombers to fight the fires in Jasper without an economic quid pro quo. The best hope for Canadians is that Trump sets the world on fire and forgets about you. Advice from the States. John Armstrong. He's a trucker John's I believe John's written to the show before listens to the program

on Sirius XM while he's driving his truck John writes diversify these tariffs are an excellent excuse to seek bigger deals with other trading partners and create new ones. Stop relying on the U.S. as much. True, Trump is gone in four years, but those who put him in power won't be. Canada should move forward with the mindset the U.S. will never give us a fair shake. Karen Stothers in Toronto.

Is Trump serious? Yes. It's easy access to Canada's critical minerals for the tech sector and use of the Northwest Passage. Maybe Trump is in favor of climate change so that the Arctic melts and the U.S. can take advantage of the vast riches of Canada's Arctic. I hope I'm

wrong. Bernard Fafard in Quebec City. I believe our country very much, but we are a weak country, as attested to by our weak leadership, with an abundance of natural resources that our neighbors to the south will need more and more of. And who would stop them? Our military? King Charles? Europe? China? Trump has always acted unchecked, and so yes, I wish our leaders would take these threats seriously

and provide a united response. Jackie Kuhl in Parkland County, Alberta. Just outside, just west of Edmonton. I don't take him word for word as he is a salesman. I do take his tactics for real. I haven't read his book, but understand that in it he says the first thing to do in negotiations is put the other person off balance. What he has done by launching the idea of severe tariffs

is put everyone off balance. Look at everyone running to him. He's now in control of the situation because everyone is afraid. The alternative way to handle him is to match his bluster. There are smart people around him who know what the tariffs are going to do to his economy. He's a bully. Stop pandering to him.

Richard Wright. Richard's a Canadian. He lives in Hong Kong. Originally, Trump's 51st state quip was just a trial balloon. Now it's inflated to a full-blown parade float of a threat. Imagine this, about 35% of his hardcore base are probably ready to march into Canada with flags waving. Another 15% might not fancy a march, but think a stern economic nudge would do the trick. The rest are already on record saying, well, it's up to Canadians if they want to join us or not, but we wouldn't need all of it at once, would we? If parts of it voted to join us, we could take them, right?

So here we are, positioned as a lovely poutine that has caught America's attention. It's only a matter of which dinner course we're served up as. Pete Quinn in Ottawa. I think he's being serious in one sense, seriously aiming it to put people off balance and create chaos that he can later take advantage of. As best I can recall, he has signaled in advance nearly 100% of the things he's done. But at the same time, he blurts an awful lot and he doesn't follow through on maybe 95% of the things he claims he'll do.

To me, that suggests about 5% chance he's being serious about taking over Canada, which is low, but still much too high for my comfort, given the magnitude of repercussions. Jason Cook in St. Albert, Alberta, just northwest of Edmonton. This desire is serious, and thus the threat must be considered legitimate. Will it happen? We all certainly hope not, but hope is not a strategy and we need our politicians to present a tough unified front now. Like all self-aggrandizing narcissists given immense power. Thanks, Jason, for the easy read here. Given immense power, Trump's petty personal ambitions will be played out on a much grander scale. The idea of an American army marching north is unfathomable. On the other hand,

there are too many ambitious and arguably evil people who have Trump's ear to simply laugh off the scenario. Krista's Neves in Toronto. I'm reminded of Pierre Trudeau's analogy of living next to the U.S. Unfortunately, the sleeping elephant is no longer good-natured and seems to have discovered a perverse pleasure in abusing its most constant, stalwart, and friendly ally. I suspect we will be repeatedly used as an economic punching bag over the next four years as Trump attempts to use us as a scapegoat for any and all problems at home and as a warning for any other ally of the United States. Frank Wang in Surrey, B.C. As this story got increasing media exposure,

we saw a number of provincial premiers ready to kneel before their new overlord. Trump would have seen and loved the public capitulation by the likes of Danielle Smith and Scott Moe. Being the bully he is, once you give him an inch, he will want to take a mile. Without knowing anything about Canadian politics, Trump can easily see that our leaders are divided on this topic and that our federal government is in crisis.

To him, this is the golden opportunity to keep throwing spaghetti at the wall and see how much of it sticks. Lois Figg in Toronto. He won't send troops across the border, but Trump will impose heavy tariffs partly designed to cause immense economic disruption to Canada. Couple that with an extensive campaign of Canada is broken disinformation spread over social media and financially crippled Canadians may soon begin to ponder whether becoming the 51st state is in their best interest. Canada now needs a strong globally respected leader who can reach out to our true international allies and quickly build other bilateral trade arrangements.

Danny Spano in Innisfil, Ontario. That's north of Toronto. I don't know if he's serious or not. No one knows. I don't think even Trump knows. Like a child, he spews nonsense and tries to mush it together on the fly till something makes sense for a second. Then he runs with it as great policy. This is scary. And here we are. We've arrived at our last letter. We've never had so many letters in one program.

And why? Because it kept them short. In some cases, when they were not short, we edited them and made them short. Well, we got a lot. We got a lot from right across the country. None from the Arctic, which surprises me. Surprises me.

You know, we've got Northern Alberta, but none from the Arctic. And the Arctic is at play here. And I know the people there know it because they've written to me independently over the last month. But not to your turn this week. Anyway, here's our last letter. The other good thing about these letters, so many of them are for first-time writers this week. Anyway, here's our last letter. The other good thing about these letters,

so many of them are for first-time writers this week. So many. It's great to have you on board. Obviously this motivated you to write. You listen, because our numbers for your turn have

really gone up this year. So I know you're listening, but writing as well is great. And I hope we've all learned a bit from this week and this topic. Obviously, it's got to be a topic that motivates you, and this one certainly has. I have a friend of mine who's in the research business of understanding what people are thinking. And so they do a lot of focus groups in different parts of the country.

And I heard from one this week saying, just did a focus group in Vancouver. And unprompted, the issue on everyone's mind is this one. It's this one. It wasn't, you know, the first time in a while it wasn't inflation. It wasn't grocery prices. It wasn't the cost of eggs. It wasn't the carbon tax. It wasn't any of that stuff.

It was this. This was the issue. The issue du jour. Okay, here we go. Last letter. Matthew Sklarczyk in Vernon, B.C. And Matthew's written to us before. Here's what he has to say.

Here's my message to Donald Trump. You failed in 1776 and again in 1812. You're zero for two, and it's clear defense wins championships. We would happily welcome you as the premier of our 11th province. That way you and your citizens can finally, after a 249-year hiatus, pledge your allegiance to the King of England once again. Don't hold your breath, Matthew. But we'll leave it on that one for this week.

Coming up tomorrow, your turn, of course, with Chantel and Bruce. It'll be an interesting program tomorrow because I think we have some news for you to break on that program. Today, of course, later today in Edmonton, Mark Carney will be announcing his candidacy for the Liberal leadership this weekend, I think. You're going to hear Chrystia Freeland do the same, and maybe Karina Gould as well.

But it's going to be a very... Compared with what we thought were going to be a dozen candidates in the race, there are only going to be a few, and there are only going to be a few serious contenders. And that will shape up over the next couple of days. So lots to talk about tomorrow on Good Talk with Shantelle Hebert and Bruce Anderson. I'm Peter Mansbridge. This has been really informative today. I really appreciate

all your letters. Thank you so much for making this program work on Thursdays. Really enjoy it. All right, that's it for me for today. We'll be back again tomorrow, as I said, with Good Talk with Bruce and Chantel. Take care. See you in almost 24 hours.