No means no.
When someone declines a gift, refuses a request, turns down romantic advances or chooses not to participate in an activity, the matter should be settled. The deal is off the table.
It鈥檚 a simple concept, but unfortunately, there are some who refuse to take no for an answer. One of these is U.S. President Donald Trump.
In the past couple of months, on numerous occasions, Trump has said Canada should become the 51st American state.
Canada鈥檚 federal and provincial leaders do not want to move in this direction, and they have said so. 鈥淭he 51st state, that鈥檚 not going to happen. It鈥檚 just a non-starter,鈥� Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in response. 鈥淐anadians are incredibly proud of being Canadian.鈥�
Recent polls back this up, showing a huge majority of Canadians are opposed to joining the U.S.
If anything, Trump鈥檚 comments have brought Canadians together to embrace this country鈥檚 sovereignty.
The U.S. president has also proposed purchasing Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. This has been met with firm, strongly-worded rejection from Greenland and Denmark.
More recently, Trump has talked about annexing the Gaza Strip, relocating the Palestinian people and creating what he describes as 鈥渢he Riviera of the Middle East.鈥� This suggestion has not been well-received.
The Gaza Strip, between Israel and Egypt, has a population of 2.14 million. It has a long history and its people have lived there for thousands of years.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said Palestinians will not relinquish their land, their rights and their sacred sites, adding that the Gaza Strip is part of Palestine鈥檚 land. Other world leaders have also strongly condemned this proposal.
The issue here is not with the idea of one country, region or territory becoming part of a more populous or more powerful country. Such things have happened peacefully in the past.
In 1949, Newfoundland became Canada鈥檚 10th province. In the late 1950s, Saarland, a small territory under French control, became part of West Germany. And in 1959, Alaska and Hawaii 鈥� both U.S. territories at the time 鈥� became the 49th and 50th American states.
In each case, the smaller territory approached the larger nation. In each case, a referendum was held internally before the agreement was finalized. Alaska, Hawaii and Saarland were all determined by significant margins in the referendums, while the Newfoundland vote was quite close.
Still, the decisions went through a series of steps before they were approved.
Trump鈥檚 comments about Canada, Greenland and the Gaza Strip have followed a different pattern.
Instead of having quiet discussions with the leaders involved, Trump made his comments publicly.
In each case, the suggestions were rejected. But in each case, the U.S. president has not backed down or changed his tone. He continues to make the same statements.
The behaviour is rather odd for someone who prides himself on having strong negotiating skills. His 1987 memoir and business advice book is titled, Trump: The Art of the Deal.
Once an offer or a proposition has been rejected, it is time to move on.
Some may argue that Trump is not serious about wanting Canada, Greenland or Gaza and that his statements should be seen as positioning and exerting his dominance.
Still, when one leader 鈥� the head of the world鈥檚 greatest military power 鈥� repeatedly makes statements about possessing another nation, a territory or a region of a country, the comments cannot and must not be ignored.
Canada, Greenland and Gaza have all rejected Trump鈥檚 proposals. Accepting these rejections is up to him.
John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.
