Many have heard president-elect Donald Trump’s response to a reporter’s question if he'd use military force to acquire Canada, like he said he might do with Greenland and the Panama Canal.
“Economic force because Canada and the United States, that would really be something,” Trump said in Florida earlier this week.
The comments have people talking and for good reason, according to political science professor Jeff MacLeod.
“When a foreign head of state, especially an incoming president of the United States, threatens the sovereignty of a NATO ally, you take it seriously,” MacLeod says. “I think it's wise to have discussions with all of your allies and NATO and say, ‘Is the United States going rogue as one might say, are they threatening the very fabric of the NATO alliance and western structure that has existed since World War II?’”
The overt suggestion of a land grab might be a play to gain access to Canada’s vast natural resources. Oil, natural gas and even water are all of interest to the United States.
“They know, as we do, that the trade relationship is mutually beneficial, whoever has the deficit at various points in time. Critical minerals and energy, big part of their economy, as well as softwood and other agriculture products so this is mutual assured destruction if the president was to go down this road,” says Peter MacKay, Canada’s former defence minister.
MacKay predicts Trump could also back away from his comments if he sees Canada stepping up domestic security efforts.
“We have to make certain changes in our own policy which we should be doing anyway. The Americans and nobody else have to tell us to shore up our borders, do more on security, especially in the Arctic,” he says.
MacLeod would like Canadian diplomats to dig a little deeper to determine the validity of the threat.
