New York: US President-elect Donald Trump teasingly suggested on his social media platform that Canada should become the 51st state of USA as it would be a ‘great idea’, news agency AFP reported.
In a sequel to his same suggestion earlier, Trump posted on Truth Social ‘Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State’.
‘They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea. 51st State!!!’ he added.
Trump mused the idea previously after the resignation of Canada's deputy prime minister on Monday.
At least 13 percent of Canadians polled in the Leger survey this week were in favour of hitching their country up with the neighbour.
Trump roused peals of laughter when he made the same comment to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a dinner in Florida in late November.
According to Trump, Fox News reported, merging two nations could solve his concerns about fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration.
Many in Ottawa viewed the suggestion as ‘not funny’ as well as subtle threat on the part of incoming president.
However, Trump began calling Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau as the governor of Canada as though Canada is already a US state.
It is reported that suggestion is no more a joke for Canadians after the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, which led to a turmoil in the country with calls for Trudeau to quit.
Trump’s ‘golfing buddy’ Brian Mulroney, who is an ex-staffer to former Canadian prime minister, wondered if Trump was serious about annexing the country.
However, Max Cameron, politics professor at University of British Columbia, made it clear that Trump’s suggestion would never happen.
'Nothing could be a greater impediment to Canada more closely integrating with the United States than Donald Trump in office in Washington,’ he was quoted as saying.