A B.C. political analyst Friday (Feb. 7) said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a "reality check for the country" after describing Trump's desire to annex Canada as the 51st state as a "real thing."
Trudeau made the statement to more 100 business, labour and industry leaders, whom the federal government and its advisory council on Canada-U.S. relations had invited to an economic summit in Toronto.
Trudeau made his comments about Trump behind closed doors after staff had ushered reporters out of the room. But the Toronto Star was able to hear what Trudeau was saying because the audio was inadvertently broadcast.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e very aware of our resources, of what we have and they very much want to be able to benefit from those,鈥� Trudeau said, as reported by the Toronto Star. 鈥淏ut Mr. Trump has it in mind that one of the easiest ways of doing that is absorbing our country. And it is a real thing.鈥�
Observers have pointed out that Trudeau's reported statement was the first of its kind since Trump had floated the idea of making Canada the 51st.
UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest said he agreed with Trudeau's reading.
"This is a real threat and needs to be treated as such," Prest said. "Laughing it off as a joke was never a good response. That fuelled this crisis that we now find ourselves in."
Prest said that Trump will continue to push in a particular direction until he meets stiff opposition, which then inclines him to change direction.
"By presenting that strong opposition, we make it less likely that that threat will become more serious," Prest said.
He added that Trump has been talking about making Canada the 51st state for a while now.
"It will it be hard for him to be upset about someone else taking his words seriously," Prest said.
Trudeau's comments come just days after the United States had paused for 30 days implementation of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods.
"It (the statement) serves notice that the stakes are as high as I have been saying they are," Prest said. "It's reality check for the country. It essentially removes some of the doubt...about the situation. If the Prime Minister says it is a real threat, then everyone else will have to take that into account."
Prest added that it could also raise the stakes, if it provokes a strong U.S. response.
"It increases the delicacy of the situation, but it also drives home how significant this moment is for the country...it's a moment of heightened tensions, but it also becomes part of a path to resolution, where we can begin to negotiate an end to the cycle of threats and negotiations and pause and renewed threats."
鈥攚ith files from Canadian Press
