This is not a drill, Canada.
Donald Trump’s takeover talk started as a joke, grew into uncomfortable needling and now looks like a genuine threat.
On Tuesday, the U.S. president-elect was asked if he’d use “military force” to take over this country.
No, he said, but he will employ “economic force.”
He was asked about Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s flat rejection of annexation or merger in any form.
“Maybe he won’t win the election but maybe he will. I don’t care . . . listen, I don’t care what he said,” Trump replied.
The incoming president of the United States, due to be sworn in Jan. 20, treats our nationhood like a trifle we don’t really value.
He shows no respect for Poilievre, even though they are ideological allies on some issues.
Poilievre was fierce both in response to Trump and in blasting the Liberals for their tepid response.
“Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country,” Poilievre said.
“I will fight for Canada.
“When I am prime minister, we will rebuild our military and take back control of the border to secure both Canada and the U.S.
“We will take back control of our Arctic to keep Russia and China out.
“In other words, we will put Canada first.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finally spoke up on the first day after announcing his time-release resignation.
“There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,” Trudeau said on X.
“Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner.”
Trump may be signalling that he will impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports the day he takes office. That sure would qualify as “economic force.”
Also on Tuesday, Trump said he’ll impose massive tariffs on Denmark if it doesn’t cede control of Greenland.
There are calls for Trudeau to immediately cancel prorogation of Parliament and recall MPs for an emergency session.
I agree. The country must finally send a formal and united response back to the U.S.
So far, all we’ve projected is internal disunity and even some sympathy for Trump’s cause.
The economic diplomacy has largely been left to provincial premiers, most notably Alberta’s Danielle Smith.
If the House is recalled, it would be essential for the Liberals, Conservatives, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois to drop their partisan wrangling and forge a joint response to Trump.
That could happen. Trump’s threats are even more alarming to Quebec than the rest of Canada.
President Joe Biden, without referring directly to Trump, spoke out for Canada and especially Trudeau on his own X account.
“The last time I visited Ottawa, I said that the United States chooses to link our future with Canada because we know that we’ll find no better ally, no closer partner and no steadier friend,” Biden said.
“The same can be said of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The U.S.-Canada alliance is stronger because of him.
“The American and Canadian people are safer because of him. And the world is better off because of him.
“I am proud to call him my friend. And I will be forever grateful for his partnership and leadership.”
Those are kinder words than Trudeau has heard in Canada for a long time.
In our national torpor, we haven’t yet begun to ask ourselves what an open border with the U.S. would mean.
Would we suddenly have the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which allows free right to use and carry guns?
Would the Americans bring us their private health care?
Trump has caught us at a weak moment. Contempt for Liberal government dysfunction has spread to unhappiness with the country itself.
We must not sacrifice patriotism to political anger. Our problems are real, but they are Canada’s to solve and must remain so.
Trump is also exploiting a blind spot in the American psyche.
Many Americans don’t really grasp how other people can be as proud and nationalistic as they are. In their eyes, no other country on earth is worth that kind of loyalty.
But we are just that proud. Despite our tensions and divisions, we have a long history of uniting in the face of challenge.
Our leaders must make Trump understand that.
So, show some spine. Recall Parliament now.
Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald
X: @DonBraid