WASHINGTON — A top White House adviser said Canada becoming the 51st state remains a consideration following a meeting with premiers where the Canadian leaders were cautioned to take U.S. President Donald Trump at his word.
The last-minute meeting with James Blair, deputy chief of staff, and Sergio Gor, director of the presidential personnel office, provided an opportunity for premiers to make Canada's case directly to top Trump aides.
All 13 premiers descended on the United States capital this week for the first time ever. The diplomatic push reflects rising alarm among Canadians about Trump's unpredictable tariff strategy. Trump signed an order Monday that would impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, including imports from Canada, on March 12. Those duties could come on top of across-the-board tariffs on all Canadian imports, with a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy, which were delayed until at least March 4.
Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc was also in Washington Wednesday, where he was set to meet Lutnick and Trump's economic policy adviser Kevin Hassett at the White House. LeBlanc insisted there's still time to talk Trump out of launching a trade war. Ottawa put those retaliatory tariffs on hold two days later when Trump agreed to pause his tariff threat for a month, and after Trudeau outlined Canada's plan to ramp up border security and appoint a fentanyl czar.
"The purpose of the trip here is diplomacy," Kinew said."It's the warm and hearty handshake, making the case that the Canadian-American friendship has been the best in the world for decades and decades."
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