Trudeau says Trump is serious about wanting to annex Canada

Prime minister says US president covets northern neighbour’s vast resources as Canadians rally against threat

theguardian Leyland Cecco in Toronto

Donald Trump’s recent fixation on absorbing Canada is “a real thing”, Justin Trudeau has told business leaders, warning that the US president wants access to his northern neighbour’s vast supply of critical minerals.

The outgoing prime minister was in Toronto for a hastily called summit of business and labour leaders, seeking to coordinate a response Trump’s looming threat of a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports.

Earlier this week, Trump backed away from tariffs that would have devastated Canada’s economy, granting one of his country’s largest trading partners a 30-day reprieve for further negotiations.

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But he has continued to mock Canadian sovereignty, repeating his description of the country as the “51st state” on social media and repeatedly calling Trudeau “governor” instead of prime minister.

Friday’s summit included discussions on stemming the movement of fentanyl, security at the border and the challenge of interprovincial trade, but Trudeau later told an audience that the president’s threats of annexation – often viewed as a negotiating tactic – were serious, and should be taken as such.

“I suggest that not only does the Trump administration know how many critical minerals we have but that may be even why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state,” Trudeau reportedly told attendees.

“They’re very aware of our resources, of what we have and they very much want to be able to benefit from those,” he said. “But Mr Trump has it in mind that one of the easiest ways of doing that is absorbing our country.”

Canada is rich in minerals considered critical to the green energy transition, including lithium, graphite, nickel, copper and cobalt, and has sought to position itself as a trusted and stable supplier of the commodities to allied nations.

Trump’s threats, which have upended the longstanding relationship between the two countries, have dramatically reshaped federal politics and ushered in a new era of patriotism. With an election looming, all parties are scrambling to portray themselves as patriotic and ready to defend the country’s sovereignty.

In Quebec, where provincial sovereigntists have experienced a surge in popularity, the number of people calling for a referendum on the province’s secession has dropped. Between December and February, people in Quebec who said they were “very proud” or “proud” to be Canadian increased 13 points from 45% to 58%, according to an Angus Reid poll.

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On Friday, federal cabinet ministers sought to reassure attenders.

“Our American friends understand that they need Canada for their economic security, they need Canada for their energy security and they need Canada for their national security,” the industry minister, François-Philippe Champagne, told AFP.

The trade minister, Anita Anand, said there would be “no messing” with the border.

“Canada is free. Canada is sovereign,” the employment minister, Steven MacKinnon, told reporters. “Canada will choose its own destiny, thank you very much.”

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