Summary

In a virtual speech at the World Economic Forum, Trump suggested Canada could become a U.S. state to avoid his proposed tariffs on imports.

The remark elicited gasps from the audience.

Trump claimed the U.S. does not need Canadian lumber, energy, or vehicles, vastly overstating the trade deficit between the two nations.

He reiterated his intention to impose tariffs, potentially as high as 25%, on imports from Canada and Mexico starting February 1.

Economists warn such tariffs would raise prices for U.S. consumers.

  • skozzii@lemmy.ca
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    6 days ago

    I still don’t think he realizes the tariffs he keeps threatening us with hurt his people way more…

    • brucethemoose@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      By “his people,” you mean most voters, yeah.

      But for high millionaires/billionaires, this is effectively a regressive tax that will benefit them.

  • Gammelfisch@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    Putin’s Sock Puppet taking orders from Moscow to divide the NATO members. For starters, the Canadians should stop buying US made weapons, because the current US leadership is unhinged and unreliable. If anything, the Blue States should become Canadian Provinces.

    • ubergeek@lemmy.today
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      6 days ago

      They don’t want us. As soon as NYS joins, NYC would dominate the votes, due to wild population differences.

      • HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works
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        6 days ago

        Why wouldn’t Canada want any state to join our Confederation?

        Guaranteed if that were to happen we would be switching to a proportional representation federal vote to fix large population differences.

        • ubergeek@lemmy.today
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          5 days ago

          So, Canada would “fix” it, by employing a system like the US has, that ensures a tyranny of the minority?

  • studentofarkad@lemm.ee
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    6 days ago

    Did someone brainwash this dude to annex other countries or something? Its like he wants to leave a legacy behind of being the first president in the modern age to expand America.

  • HappySkullsplitter@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    So much political theater and me without my opera glasses

    Cutting off trade with Canada would devastate the US economy overnight

  • Queen HawlSera@lemm.ee
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    7 days ago

    How does this lower the price of my god damn eggs?

    Also he does know that Canada would be yet another blue state right?

    • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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      7 days ago

      Each province/territory would insist on being its own state so Canada would at least probably become 10 blue states and 3 red states if not 11/2. Not sure how Manitoba would swing.

      • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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        6 days ago

        Not sure how Manitoba would swing.

        Given that our current government is NDP after a disastrous period of the previous conservative government, I would expect Manitoba would generally vote to the left of most states.

  • Obinice@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    We must strengthen NATO’s defences against the aggressive USA and significantly improve border defences, lest they catch us with our pants down when the time comes.

  • HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee
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    7 days ago

    I would welcome fifty new Congressional districts, the overwhelming majority of which would vote Blue within an American political framework.

    • Jamablaya@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      Yeah you don’t know much about Canada, I guess. roughly half would vote democrat, roughly half republican, varying by 5, 10 percent up and down each individual election same as you see every election down south. The Conservatives form government for 8-10 years every 8-10 years federally.

      • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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        6 days ago

        Your guess is incorrect. The Overton window in Canada is quite a bit to the left of where it is in the US.

        Bernie would be considered a centrist in Canada.

        • SpeakinTelnet@programming.dev
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          6 days ago

          I wouldn’t call Bernie a “canadian centrist” since he aligns with what the NPD want to be, social democrats (left). Otherwise yeah, the american democrats pretty much aligns with Canadian conservatives.

        • Jamablaya@lemmy.world
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          6 days ago

          It’s not a guess, you’re functioning on strereotypes. Joe Biden is roughly a centrist if he was in Canadian politics.

    • vortic@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      You know, I’d never thought of it this way. If Canadians were willing, I’d whole heartedly welcome them!

  • vastard@lemmynsfw.com
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    7 days ago

    Please let this be the trigger for free trade with Europe and all that lovely meat and cheese.

  • acargitz@lemmy.ca
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    7 days ago

    Why isn’t Canada summoning the US ambassador to demand official explanations?

    • Madison420@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      They don’t need explanation or translation for “he dumb and doesn’t understand money outside of wanting more”.

    • cley_faye@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      The situation is embarrassing enough. No need to bring shame to the ambassador that most likely heard about it from some news outlet too.

    • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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      6 days ago

      The Canadian prime Minister went and spoke directly to Trump.

      And Trump laughed him off.

      And how do you know the ambassador hasn’t already had those meetings?

      Canadian officials have been in communication with American governers, senators, congressmen and even mayors to discuss the situation and what sort of response they might expect.

      A big part of the problem is that Trump doesn’t listen to the advice of anyone once he gets some stupid idea stuck in his head.

      • acargitz@lemmy.ca
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        6 days ago

        But it’s all shit talking and “jokes”. Summoning the ambassador, the Canadian government as an institution can officially demand an official response from the US government as an institution. Sovereign state to sovereign state. This is serious business not a social media exchange.

        It would basically demand the US government to produce its formal demands of Canada. Anything else should be ignored as farts and white noise.

  • Someone@lemmy.ca
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    7 days ago

    I bet he’ll end up sprinkling in a handful of very specific exemptions. These are what we need to slap export taxes on. Doesn’t need to be much, but match his 25%. At best it’ll hammer them where they need it, at worst it’ll keep things fair for all our exporters.