Canada got another not-so-subtle jab from Washington on Monday, courtesy of the top American diplomat in Ottawa. US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra shared a Truth Social post from President Trump that read "51st State!" alongside a Bloomberg story about Canada slipping into a technical recession. Trump has repeatedly suggested that the US should "take over" its northern neighbor. Ontario Premier Doug Ford quickly fired back, CTV News reports. "I can't believe I have to say this again, but Canada will never be the 51st state," Ford wrote on X. "Canada is not for sale."
- "While I'm at it, here's the truth: in April, Ontario created 680 per cent more jobs than the U.S., adjusted for population," Ford wrote. "That's how we protect Ontario."
The ambassador's post adds to recent friction between the countries, the Hill reports. Earlier this year, Trump joked that Prime Minister Mark Carney was the "future governor of Canada," reviving a line he used about Justin Trudeau. Hoekstra has also warned that the countries' defense ties might need to be "altered" if Canada didn't move ahead with a purchase of US-made F-35 jets.
Carney said Tuesday that Canada is being "fundamentally transformed" by Trump's trade war and the technical recession is part of the "settling-in" period, the CBC reports. He said his government is in the "process of laying the foundations for a stronger, more resilient, more independent Canadian economy."
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