Latest news with #Canada51stState
CBC
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
‘Impossible' to make Canada the 51st state: Ryan Reynolds
Actor Ryan Reynolds tells CBC News chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault how he responds to threats or jokes about making Canada the 51st state.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Revealed: King Charles' VERY personal link to Canada as President Trump suggests the country becomes the US's 51st state
As King Charles prepares to host Donald Trump for a full state visit in September, questions have flared about Trump's unwelcome suggestion that Canada should become the 51st state. The Crown's relationship with Canada is complex and steeped in history. The nation has been occupied for thousands of years by Aboriginal People, and the territories which now form Canada came under British power at various times by settlement, war or cession. The US president has repeatedly floated the idea of making Canada the 51st US state and has made several statements about the country's sovereignty and trade tariffs. If Canada did become a state under Trump's suggestion, Charles would no longer be the King of Canada and Canada's Head of State. But this is not the first time there has been debate about whether the monarchy still holds a place in Canada. Some speculated that the death of Queen Elizabeth II would be the moment to replace Canada's monarchy with a president. But following the queen's death in September 2022, Canada's Prime Minister at the time, Justin Trudeau, stated that the monarchy's role in Canada was not open for debate and did not see Canada replacing its monarchy in the near future. Charles's invitation for Trump to visit later this year has sparked controversy after the president's 2019 visit to meet the Queen resulted in protests. Charles and Queen Camilla arrive at Ottawa Airport during an official visit to Canada in Ottawa, Canada, on May 26, 2025 Earlier this year, the Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, told The Daily Telegraph that the king, as head of state, has a duty to confront Trump. Most recently, it was reported that Buckingham Palace raised concerns about Trump's 'threats to Canada', seeing it as a reason 'not to rush into a state visit'. As royal observers grapple with the implications of the upcoming visit, earlier this year, Charles marked the second time in Canadian history that the reigning sovereign has opened parliament during a royal visit to Canada with Queen Camilla. In a speech, which was given in a mixture of English and French, Charles expressed his love for Canada, which Prime Minister Mark Carney called 'a historic honour that matches the weight of our times'. But on the first day of the royal visit to Canada, while Charles made headlines delivering the Speech from the Throne, Camilla's choice of jewellery also drew attention. She wore the iconic Asprey Maple Leaf Brooch, which has been worn by Kate Middleton and Queen Elizabeth II and originally belonged to the Queen Mother. Designed in 1939, it was crafted in platinum and set with diamonds to form the shape of a sugar maple leaf-Canada's national emblem. It was gifted to the Queen Mother by King George VI during their landmark state visit to Canada that year. Charles's invitation for Trump to visit later this year has sparked controversy after the president's 2019 visit to meet the Queen resulted in protests Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife Diana Fox Carney greet Charles and Camilla as they arrive at the official residence of the Governor General of Canada, Rideau Hall, in Ottawa on May 26, 2025 Charles and Camilla depart after their two-day visit in Ottawa on May 27, 2025 The brooch was later inherited by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, who wore it regularly for Canada Day engagements and significant Commonwealth occasions. This is one of many links between Charles and Camilla's recent visit to Canada and the Queen Mother. In 1939, Queen Elizabeth and King George VI became the first reigning monarchs to visit North America, garnering significant attention from both the public and the media. Taking place in the months leading up to the Second World War, the tour was undertaken to strengthen transatlantic support for the UK in anticipation of a potential war while also showcasing Canada's status as an independent kingdom of the British Empire. During the trip, when asked if she was English or Scots by two Boer War veterans in 1939, Queen Elizabeth famously replied: 'Since I have landed in Quebec, I think we can say that I am a Canadian'. The Queen Mother, who called the country a home away from home, visited Canada 14 times, the first being in 1939 when she and her husband, King George VI, became the first reigning monarchs to tour the country. She told Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, 'that tour made us' and she returned to Canada frequently. Her last visit to the country came on July 5, 1989, shortly before her 89th birthday. William Shawcross wrote in his biography of The Queen Mother that she was 'so loved and venerated in Canada'. He added: 'Canadian officials and politicians asked for yet another visit in the early 1990s. 'The Queen was consulted and came to the reluctant decision that 89 was old enough for such adventures.' Such is the strong bond between the British Royal Family and Canada that throughout her 70-year reign, the late Queen Elizabeth II, daughter of the Queen Mother, made 22 official tours of Canada, more than any other Commonwealth country. In a speech during her Golden Jubilee in 2002 Queen Elizabeth II said: 'Je chéris ma place dans la vie du Canada et mon lien avec tous les Canadiens et Canadiennes.' This translates roughly to: 'I cherish my place in the life of Canada and my connection to all Canadians.' She added: 'It is a privilege to serve you as Queen of Canada to the best of my ability, to play my part in the Canadian identity, to uphold Canadian traditions and heritage, to recognise Canadian excellence and achievement, and to seek to give a sense of continuity in these exciting, ever-changing times in which we are fortunate enough to live.' On her death, Canadian Justin Trudeau said: 'The Queen had a deep and abiding love and affection for Canadians. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh watch a 3D film at the Pinewood Studios in Toronto, Canada, in 2010 'She was our queen for almost half of Canada's existence and was one of my favourite people in the world.' As royal observers wait in anxious anticipation for Trump's state visit to the UK, many hold on to the hope that Charles will reaffirm his support and love for Canada and its people by sending a clear message that Canada is not for sale. In doing so, he will uphold the legacy of his mother and grandmother. The Glittering History of the Queen Mother's Diamond Maple Leaf Brooch The iconic diamond Maple Leaf brooch has been worn by four (past, current and future) Queens of Canada. Composed of baguette-cut diamonds mounted as a Maple Leaf in platinum by Asprey & Co, the brooch was bought by King George VI for Queen Elizabeth ahead of the Royal Tour of Canada in 1939. The Maple Leaf is a characteristic Canadian symbol, which has been featured on the Canadian Flag since 1965. Queen Elizabeth wore the Diamond Maple Leaf Brooch on numerous occasions over the month-long Tour of Canada in the Spring of 1939, just before the outbreak of the Second World War. The Queen Mother continued to wear the Diamond Maple Leaf Brooch during the years of her widowhood, often on visits to Canada and for events related to Canada into the final years of her life.
CBC
17-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Trump asked about 51st state comments, Canada's potential role in Golden Dome
U.S. President Donald Trump, who was asked as he returned from the G7 summit in Alberta about his repeated claims Canada should be a 51st state, said: 'I think it's a much better deal from Canada, but, you know, it's up to them.' As is, Canada would have to pay 'a lot' of tariffs and to join his proposed missile defence system, Trump said.
CTV News
16-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Doug Ford says U.S. governors agree Trump's comments on Canada were ‘insulting'
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his U.S counterparts are concerned about a drop in tourism from Canadians, telling him that President Donald Trump's comments about making Canada the 51st state were insulting to Canada. 'Well, as we talk to the governors, a lot of governors are saying it's insulting, it's insulting to your closest friend and allies,' Ford told CNN in an interview Monday morning. 'We love the U.S. I love the U.S. Canadians love Americans. There's one person that is causing this issue, and that's President Trump. Hopefully he'll take another avenue and start mending fences, because right now, as the governors told us here, they've seen a drastic decline in Canadian tourism.' Ford's comments come as he and several other premiers meets with a number of U.S. governors in Boston to discuss trade and tariffs. Some of the governors, Ford said, are particularly concerned about a sharp drop in tourism from Canadians amid the trade war, which has seen the U.S. impose tariffs on Canadian goods, only to decrease or escalate them with little warning. Trump has repeatedly called for Canada to become the 51st state and has said that he would use economic coercion in order to encourage the country to do so. Canadian leaders across the political spectrum have flatly rejected the idea as an assault on Canadian sovereignty. However Ford said warm relations persist between the governors and premiers, despite the rhetoric from the White House. 'It's a love fest in the room, and there's a mixture of everyone in the room, and we just want to get things back on track and move forward,' Ford said. The meeting is being attended by Maine Gov. Janet Mills, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. Along with Ford, the Canadian delegation includes Newfoundland and Labrador Premier John Hogan, Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, and Quebec economic minister Christine Fréchette. The Boston meeting between the governors and premiers comes the same day Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with Trump on the sidelines of the G7-summit in Alberta. Ford expressed confidence in Carney ahead of the meeting, but said he needs to send a strong message that Trump's tariffs are hurting both countries. 'I have all the confidence in the world in Prime Minister Carney,' Ford said. 'He'll be obviously very polite being the host, but he also has to be stern.' He reiterated that it 'makes no sense' to attack one of your strongest friends and allies. 'We have to send a message to the rest of the world; there's certainty here now in these two countries, and come and invest in the U.S. and Canada,' Ford said. When it comes to his response to the trade war, namely the controversial 'special economic zones' for resource extraction in Bill 5, Ford was asked whether his plan strips away First Nations rights in favour of economic growth. 'There's a few (First Nations) that's making noise, but the vast majority, you watch, though, they'll be full steam ahead, and we're going to work collaboratively with our First Nations communities,' Ford said. The bill has faced criticism from some First Nations groups over the special economic zones it allows the government to create. The bill gives the government the power to circumvent environmental and other regulations in zones of key economic interest designated by the province. - With files from CTV News
Asharq Al-Awsat
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
What to Know about the Group of Seven Summit in Canada that Trump Will Attend
US President Donald Trump will arrive Sunday for a Group of Seven summit in a country he has suggested should be annexed and as he wages a trade war with America's longstanding allies. Trump's calls to make Canada the 51st US state have infuriated Canadians, and Prime Minister Mark Carney, who won his office by pledging to confront the US president's increased aggression, now hosts the G7 summit. Carney asserted this week that Washington no longer plays a predominant role on the world stage, imposing tariffs for access to its markets and reducing its contributions to collective security, The Associated Press said. Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a lengthy joint statement, or communiqué, at the summit's conclusion as French President Emmanuel Macron did at the G7 summit in France in 2019. The document typically outlines the consensus reached by leaders on summit issues and provides a roadmap for how they plan to tackle them. Trump roiled the 2017 meeting in Italy over the climate change passage in that summit's final statement. He then withdrew his support from the 2018 communiqué after complaining he had been slighted by then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the host that year. The leaders of the world's richest countries begin arriving Sunday in the resort town of Kananaskis, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies. Who will attend The Group of Seven comprises Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. The European Union also attends as well as other heads of state who are not part of the G7 but have been invited by Carney. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend and is expected to meet with Trump, a reunion coming just months after their contentious Oval Office encounter, which laid bare the risks of having a meeting with the US president. Other world leaders will be meeting with Trump both in a group setting and for bilateral talks, which are often precarious as foreign leaders must navigate between placating and confronting him. 'Anything could happen. The Canadians would be crazy not to anticipate something. We can't tell. That's Trump stock and trade. He likes to keep everyone guessing,' said Robert Bothwell, a University of Toronto professor of Canadian history and international relations. 'It all depends what kind of theater he's going to want to have,' he said. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will attend and said she expects to have her first in-person meeting with Trump. On his way to Canada, Macron is making a notable stop in Greenland, the semi autonomous Danish territory that the US president has also suggested annexing. Among the other newcomers are German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Starmer will meet with Carney on Saturday in Ottawa before flying to Alberta. Carney also invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite accusations from Canada's national police force that agents of Modi's government were involved in 'widespread' violence in Canada. Will Trump upstage this G7 too? The 2018 G7 summit in Quebec was thrown into disarray after Trump called Trudeau 'dishonest' and 'weak," while complaining that he had been blindsided by Trudeau's criticism of Trump's tariff threats at a summit-ending news conference. Trump pulled out of the G7 group statement just as it was released. 'We weren't too happy because we thought we managed to pull off a pretty good summit,' said Peter Boehm, Canada's deputy minister for the Quebec summit." The reaction — and I was with Mr. Trudeau at the time — was a bit of disbelief." Boehm expects a chair's summary from Carney this year instead of a joint statement from the leaders. During the Quebec summit, Trump also insisted on Russia's readmission to the elite group, from which it was ousted in 2014 following President Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea. 'Trump raised that at the foreign policy dinner," Boehm recalled. 'It was a bit awkward because British Prime Minister Theresa May was there and some British citizens had just been killed by Russian operatives using a toxic agent.' Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were targeted in a nerve agent attack a few months before the Quebec summit in the English city of Salisbury. Looming tariffs US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra has said that Carney has been quietly holding direct talks with Trump about a trade deal in the lead up to the summit. Separately, top Canadian cabinet ministers have also been in Washington for negotiations in recent weeks. Trade tensions may be unavoidable. The United States runs trade deficits with all G7 countries except the United Kingdom. In an effort to balance what he describes as America's lopsided trade relations, Trump has imposed 10% import taxes — tariffs — on almost every country in the world. He also announced bigger tariffs, then suspended them, on countries that sell more to the United States than they buy. 'The big X Factor (is) the looming tariffs,' said Max Bergmann of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 'The G7 is supposed to provide global economic governance. And the way the Europeans see it right now is that the country that's the source of major instability in global economic affairs is the United States.'' Trump's trade wars are already threatening the world economy. The World Bank on Tuesday sharply downgraded its forecast for global economic growth this year, citing 'a substantial rise in trade barriers.'' A prelude to NATO summit NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will attend the G7 meeting ahead of this month's NATO summit and has said most US allies in the alliance endorse Trump's demand that they invest 5% of gross domestic product on their defense needs. Carney said this week Canada would meet NATO's current 2% target but seemed to suggest he would not support 5%, saying his goal is to protect Canadians, and not to satisfy NATO accountants. Why such a remote location Law enforcement overseeing security expect large protests but say protesters won't be able to get anywhere near Kananaskis, as access roads to the summit will be closed to the public. The Mounties say there will be designated G7 demonstration zones in Calgary and Banff, Alberta that will have live audio and video feeds, which will be broadcast to G7 leaders and delegations at the summit. Kananaskis also hosted a G8 summit in 2002.
