How should the Prime Minister handle the numerous allusions to Canada as the 51st American state by President-elect Donald Trump?
• Also read: Trump once again raises the idea of making Canada the 51st American state
• Also read: Trump’s allusions to a 51st state: “Canadians should be deeply shocked,” says Jean Charest
• Also read: Canada as the 51st state: Trump calls Justin Trudeau ‘governor’
According to former CAQ MP Joëlle Boutin, we must ignore these speeches and focus on the important issues.
“He is aware that the federal government is in a weak position and he takes the opportunity to laugh at us,” she said. We’re a bit of a laughingstock internationally.”
“It’s humiliating,” she adds. I have never seen this in international relations, a president trying to humiliate a major partner like Canada. We have to sort of ignore it, focus on our game plan and come together as a united front.”
According to her, the Prime Minister must also do more to include the provinces in the strategy regarding the threat of customs tariffs.
“At the moment, we have provinces that are more united than ever in relation to this threat,” says Ms. Boutin. The federal government has made a proposal, but wake up, work even more in collaboration with the provinces. It takes a coordinated plan against Donald Trump.”
For his part, columnist Antoine Robitaille is of the opinion that we will have to learn to live with these degrading comments from Donald Trump over the coming years.
“I think that for four years, we will be torn between what I would call appeasement and response,” he says. We will be torn between the two attitudes. What can we do in the face of a troll president who tells us that we count for nothing and that our sovereignty is a pure fiction?
“I think it felt good when Doug Ford said he was going to cut off their power, but at the same time, is that realistic? he asks. It sends us back to our own weakness, and that’s what’s terrifying and very new.”
See the full analysis in the video above
