Hot-Lynx
Canada Floats idea that California should be 11th Province
In a fiery response to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s repeated jabs about making Canada the 51st state, Green Party leader Elizabeth May turned the tables with a bold counteroffer: Why not make California, Oregon, and Washington the 11th, 12th, and 13th provinces of Canada?
The sharp retort came during a press conference on Friday, where May dismissed Trump’s ongoing taunts with a mix of humor and defiance. “No matter how many photos Trump posts of himself in business suits striding through Swiss mountains with a Canadian flag, we’re not intimidated,” May declared. “We’re a G7 country. We do not aspire to be the 51st state.”
A Cascadia Proposal
May’s counteroffer wasn’t just a witty clapback—it was a full-blown pitch to the West Coast states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Highlighting the shared geography and cultural ties of the Cascadia region, May argued that these states might find a better fit north of the border.
“How about it, California? Oregon? Washington? We’ve got geography in common,” May said, referencing the existing carbon trading system between California and Quebec. She even extended the offer to Governor Gavin Newsom, Washington’s Jay Inslee, and Oregon’s newly elected Governor Tina Kotek, suggesting they put the idea to a referendum.
To sweeten the deal, May touted Canada’s universal healthcare system, strict gun laws, and protections for women’s reproductive rights. “No more one-year-olds falling off Medicaid lists while their parents scramble to crowdfund medical care,” she said. “And guess what? We already have the gun laws your Congress is too afraid to pass.”
A Dig at Trump’s Political Woes
May didn’t stop there. In a cheeky nod to Trump’s political frustrations, she suggested that by taking California, Oregon, and Washington off his hands, Canada would be doing him a favor. “We’ll get rid of all those states that always vote Democrat,” she quipped. “And hey, we’ll even take Bernie Sanders off your hands. He’d make a proud new citizen of the province of Vermont.”
The Green Party leader’s comments come amid a tense period in Canada-U.S. relations, with Trump threatening to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports unless the countries meet his border security demands. May’s remarks were a clear signal that Canada isn’t backing down—and isn’t afraid to push back with a little humor.
Trump’s History of Unorthodox Proposals
May’s response also highlights Trump’s long history of making eyebrow-raising proposals about acquiring or controlling sovereign territories. From his infamous 2019 attempt to buy Greenland—a move Denmark’s Prime Minister dismissed as “absurd”—to his musings about Puerto Rico becoming a state, Trump has repeatedly floated ideas that disregard the autonomy of other nations and regions.
His comments about Canada joining the U.S. as the 51st state are just the latest in a series of off-the-cuff remarks that have sparked international headlines. While some dismiss these statements as mere bluster, others see them as part of a broader pattern of disregarding the sovereignty of other nations.
A Message of Canadian Pride
May’s fiery response wasn’t just about politics—it was a celebration of Canadian identity. “We love our country,” she said. “It’s a nation, and we do not aspire to be the 51st state. So let’s not hear it anymore. If it was a joke, it was never funny, and it ends now.”
Her comments resonated with Canadians across the country, many of whom took to social media to applaud her for standing up to Trump’s provocations. “Elizabeth May for Prime Minister!” one Twitter user wrote, while another added, “Finally, someone said what we’ve all been thinking.”
What’s Next?
While May’s proposal to absorb California, Oregon, and Washington is unlikely to become a reality, it has sparked a lively conversation about the future of North American relations. As Trump prepares to take office, his unorthodox approach to diplomacy continues to raise questions—and occasionally, inspire some creative comebacks.
For now, May’s message is clear: Canada isn’t for sale, and it certainly isn’t interested in becoming the 51st state. But if California ever wants to join the Great White North, the door is open.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
