51st State? No Thank You
Published in El Heraldo de México
(México) on 25 February 2025
by José Carreño Figueras (link to
original)
Canadians are usually and correctly thought of as polite, relaxed and tolerant. Or, as some say, “well-mannered gringos.” But that is until they “have had enough,” as they have with President Donald Trump’s claim that he will make Canada the 51st state of the American Union.
The result has been an expression of nationalism rarely seen in Canada and therefore all the more surprising. In fact, one cannot recall anything like it in the last 30 years, from parodies of the Marine Corps' "Marine Hymn" and mass chants of the national anthem, “Oh, Canada,” to enough travel cancellations to cause some airlines to talk of cutting back flights to the United States. And that's in a country and a season in which vacationers seek sunny regions — Florida or Arizona.
All this deserves attention: Until now, Canadians believed they had a special relationship with the United States, and indeed, it could well be said that they have. They are partners in NATO and the North American Aerospace Defense Command; they are and have been allies in conflicts around the world; Canada has taken risks to help the U.S., as it did when its embassy in Tehran hid U.S. diplomats who were able to evade the seizure of the U.S. embassy in the Iranian capital in 1979; they openly stood in solidarity with the U.S. after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Like Mexico, Canada has abundant bilateral trade with the United States, and the cultural influence of the U. S. is enormous: More than 75% of the Canadian population lives in a 250-kilometer (about a 150-mile) strip along the border between the two countries, and Canadian provinces are likely to trade more actively with states south of the border than with their counterparts to the east or west.
But all in all, they are different and proud to be Canadian. They may be unhappy with their government but comfortable with their parliamentary system, their health care system and, yes, their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. For them, being a U.S. state would carry more disadvantages than advantages.
Fewer than 20% of Canadians welcomed Trump's remarks, actually strengthening the position of the Liberal Party, which seemed on the brink of the electoral precipice three months ago.
For Canadians, Trump's idea ultimatum is nothing more than an attempt to seize Canada's natural resources for the benefit of U.S. businessmen and to the detriment of Canadians in general.
We should remember that Canada was founded by colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown after the independence of the United States in 1783. They already have a figurative, distant king, and they do not wish to exchange him for one who is real and close by.
The result has been an expression of nationalism rarely seen in Canada and therefore all the more surprising. In fact, one cannot recall anything like it in the last 30 years, from parodies of the Marine Corps' "Marine Hymn" and mass chants of the national anthem, “Oh, Canada,” to enough travel cancellations to cause some airlines to talk of cutting back flights to the United States. And that's in a country and a season in which vacationers seek sunny regions — Florida or Arizona.
All this deserves attention: Until now, Canadians believed they had a special relationship with the United States, and indeed, it could well be said that they have. They are partners in NATO and the North American Aerospace Defense Command; they are and have been allies in conflicts around the world; Canada has taken risks to help the U.S., as it did when its embassy in Tehran hid U.S. diplomats who were able to evade the seizure of the U.S. embassy in the Iranian capital in 1979; they openly stood in solidarity with the U.S. after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Like Mexico, Canada has abundant bilateral trade with the United States, and the cultural influence of the U. S. is enormous: More than 75% of the Canadian population lives in a 250-kilometer (about a 150-mile) strip along the border between the two countries, and Canadian provinces are likely to trade more actively with states south of the border than with their counterparts to the east or west.
But all in all, they are different and proud to be Canadian. They may be unhappy with their government but comfortable with their parliamentary system, their health care system and, yes, their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. For them, being a U.S. state would carry more disadvantages than advantages.
Fewer than 20% of Canadians welcomed Trump's remarks, actually strengthening the position of the Liberal Party, which seemed on the brink of the electoral precipice three months ago.
For Canadians, Trump's idea ultimatum is nothing more than an attempt to seize Canada's natural resources for the benefit of U.S. businessmen and to the detriment of Canadians in general.
We should remember that Canada was founded by colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown after the independence of the United States in 1783. They already have a figurative, distant king, and they do not wish to exchange him for one who is real and close by.
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