UBC experts on Trump’s aim to make Canada the 51st state

“Trump’s proposal to use economic coercion to the effect of making Canada the U.S.’s 51st state is as insulting as it is deeply flawed economically, politically, and legally. First, economic integration is already close, and Trump is doing his best to undermine this economic integration by threatening tariffs—much against the spirit of our existing free trade agreement. Politically, Leger Marketing conducted a poll in December 2024 that showed, unsurprisingly, little support for a merger—just 13 per cent of Canadians favoured the idea. And legally, while Canadian provinces can secede under Canada’s constitution, there is no mechanism for Canada to accede to the U.S. short of a constitutional amendment, for which the hurdles are enormous.”

phone: 604-822-8484

Email: werner.antweiler@ubc.ca

Interview languages: English, German

Expertise:

• international trade & finance
• environmental policy

“The best guarantee Canada will never join the U.S. is Trump himself. His statements are unserious, but that doesn’t change the fact that we should take them seriously. In an asymmetrical relationship, the weak cannot ignore threats by the strong. I expect Canadians will set aside their differences and, with a single voice, reject Trump’s dated imperialist rhetoric.”

phone: 604-822-3129

mobile: 604-786-0992

Email: max.cameron@ubc.ca

Interview languages: English, Spanish

Expertise:

• politics
• democracy
• Latin America
• Canadian foreign policy

“The main concern should be focusing on a clear and direct response to Trump. The president-elect has been trying to bully Canada’s leadership so that they will be more likely to make concessions around trade and defense issues. This will likely continue, but the GOP as a party has nothing to gain from having Canada as a 51st state that would likely be more liberal, and adding another set of representatives and a senator would hurt the party. Polling showed that Canadians were three times more likely to support Kamala Harris than Trump in last year’s election.”

Phone: 514-668-4576

Email: terri.givens@ubc.ca

Interview languages: English, French, German

Expertise:

• race
• gender
• politics
• United States

“Canadians should take seriously president-elect Trump’s musings about the possibility that Canada become the 51st state, including [Tuesday’s] musings about using economic force to annex Canada. It is not just a joke but a form of bullying intended, at a minimum, to place Canada at a negotiating disadvantage. As with all bullying, it will continue until the target stands up to it. Accordingly, while we will have to wait for the days after the president-elect’s inauguration to see whether the threats are enacted, Canadian leaders ought to act now to make clear that our sovereignty is non-negotiable, and that Canada will defend itself and its prosperity integrity with all means at our disposal.”

Email: stewart.prest@ubc.ca

Interview languages: English

Expertise:

• Canadian politics
• international relations
• conflict

“Since the election, Trump has been on an often-delusional power trip. His effort to annex Canada is about as preposterous as his attempt to appoint Matt Gaetz attorney general, and in the end will come to nothing. It will cause real problems for Canada, however, because Trump will hold a grudge about being rebuffed.”

phone: 604-822-2230

Email: quirk@politics.ubc.ca

Interview languages: English

Expertise:

• U.S. politics
• Congress
• presidency