Canada in Trump's Sights

The Canadian government was abuzz with whispers that US President Trump had Canada in his sights for annexation. This wasn't just idle gossip. The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, disclosed this to a group of business leaders at a summit. He believed he was speaking privately, but his words were overheard. It was during an economic summit in Toronto when Trudeau let slip that Trump had considered absorbing Canada into the United States. This revelation was picked up by a microphone that was left open. It was intended for Canada's internal audience, who were supposed to have left the room. It is the kind of stuff that Canadian leaders love to talk about to each other because it is a huge part of their identity. But they would never disclose it to the public. The comments made headlines, but they were not the first time Trump had floated the idea. In an earlier interview, Trudeau had brushed it off as a distraction tactic. He said that Canadians were too proud of their identity to ever consider becoming part of the US. It was a strategic move by Trump to shift attention from his tariff threats. The US had just imposed a hefty 25% tariff on a bunch of Canadian imports, including oil, gas and lumber.Trudeau saw through it. Trump was making a big show of the annexation threat, but it was all just a ploy. He was trying to divert attention from the real issue: the tariffs. But Canadians were not buying it. They knew that Trump had publicly announced a pause on the tariffs because of the border security commitments made by Canada. Trudeau had committed to a $1. 3 billion border plan, as well as appointing a "fentanyl czar" and listing cartels as terrorists. In the end, it was more about Trump's negotiating tactics than any real threat. He was using the annexation talk as a bargaining chip. But Canadians were having none of it. They were too proud of their country and its history. They were also quite aware of the political games. It was a shame that Trump was trying to play these games.