TORONTO – This year started rather badly for Canada. With the newly-elected US President having taken oath on January 20, 2025, he immediately looked at the tariffs on Canada and Mexico and told the Canadian government to look into its undocumented people crossing the border to the US and at the same time, curb its flow of fentanyl into the US. These, Canada worked on. And showed the US that they can be done. 

What followed, thereafter, was a trolling and taunting of the US President directed towards Justin Trudeau, the present and outgoing Canadian Prime Minister the day following his announcement of leaving politics. The US President started to call him “Governor” and referred to Canada as the 51st state. To sweeten the already sweet pie, Google Maps started referring to provincial parks as “state parks”, something Google tried to explain mercilessly.

Tariffs will kick in on Tuesday, March 4th, as stated by Associated Press in its short article dated February 27, 2025. Canada is no stranger to trade wars, as evidenced in the 1930’s, when two American legislators proposed and failed miserably on an unbelievable percentage to be imposed on Canadian goods. What makes this trade war is the real reason behind it – the annexation of Canada as the 51st state. This elicited a surge of patriotism among Canadians. PM Trudeau suggested breaking down internal trade barriers in the country. The Premier of Nova Scotia did just this.

I have had moments of reflection accompanied by anger over the words “51st state”. I am a naturalized Canadian, having taken my oath in the mid-1970s, and have always been proud of my adopted country where I have lived longer than I did in the Philippines. You can say, I am more Canadian bacon than the Philippine longanisa. In my quiet moments, I mentally do a pros and cons of being the 51st state of a country where I’ve spent most of my summers. There isn’t a Filipino-Canadian who doesn’t have friends or relatives living in the US. I am one.

What would it benefit Canada to be the 51st state. I am sure the readers of this article will say, nothing. But for the purpose of being objective, allow me to enumerate them. As the 51st state, Canada will be part of a super power and will be guaranteed protection from an invading country. My question is this: why go after a bull when you don’t stand a chance. Secondly, Canada will have a stronger currency, the US dollar being a very negotiable currency accepted by most countries. Thirdly, Canada would be the biggest state, land wise and population wise.

Now for the cons of being the 51st state. Canada would lose its identity. Very hard to swallow even by a naturalized Canadian like me. We’d lose healthcare. By this, I mean a sick person would be asked to provide papers showing paid healthcare upon admission to a clinic or hospital. Our natural resources would be exploited, as well as our critical elements. With the now US President, everything has a fee.

I’ve been reading how he has laid out this fee to Ukraine’s Zelensky by charging the country 350 billion dollars, the amount that the US contributed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which incidentally is now going past the 3-year mark, and collecting this amount through the critical elements that Ukraine has. Canada has 25% of fresh water in this planet and we all know, water equates life. This natural resources would will be exploited as well. Sad, eh? And, of course, Canada as the 51st State will have Donald John Trump as its President.

Now, this elevates the Canadian’s blood pressure. Canada has always been left leaning in its politics. Sixty-four percent of Canadians favoured Kamala Harris in the past elections. If this ridiculous plan takes effect, heaven forbid, the Democrats will rule the House of Representatives and perhaps give the US Senate a run for its dollars. Which most likely explains why the Democrats are unusually quiet about Canada being the 51st state. It will be beneficial for them. My question to this, and it’s very big question: why in heaven’s name would Canada help the Democrats in its political dilemma. This is an internal problem and we’re being used as a pawn.

I am looking at this trade war and am thinking, it could pose a problem for the hardware and chip makers. And aluminum and tin. It’s not the rich who eats canned goods. It’s the 9 to 5 worker who does. So, why tax the workers and not the wine drinkers. Just wondering.

Photo by Greg Rosenke from Unsplash