Canadian Retired Vice-Admiral Mark Norman issued a stark warning about Canada’s relationship with the United States as he urged his country to seriously rethink its reliance on its neighbour.
Writing for The National Post, Canada’s former vice chief of defence staff argued that recent statements from US President Donald Trump — who has talked about Canada becoming the 51st state, repeatedly mockingly referred to its outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “Governor Trudeau” and imposed and then temporarily suspended a 25% tariff on all imports from the country — were a “real threat,” not just rhetoric.
“When the leader of our closest neighbour, ally and trading partner says that he can destroy us with the stroke of a pen — and repeats his willingness to do so — it is more than just an expression of perceived superiority or hyperbole, it’s a real threat,” Norman said.
“To dismiss it as anything less would be irresponsible and naive,” he added.
Norman suggested a number of potential retaliatory measures such as cutting off oil, gas and electricity supplies to the United States. He also talked about rallying other nations to stand alongside Canada in countering American aggression.
“In this growing fog of rhetoric and posturing it is difficult to decipher the fine line between threat and attack,” acknowledged Norman, who in 2019 received an official apology from Canada’s House of Commons following a failed prosecution over a breach-of-trust allegation.
“Faced with such ambiguity, we can either continue to wait and respond incrementally or we can act decisively,” he added. “I submit we are under attack and more significantly, so too is the global system upon which our security and prosperity are based.”
Trump has for months now talked about somehow absorbing Canada into the US, alongside his other comments about seizing control of the Panama Canal, buying Greenland and taking over Gaza to develop the war zone into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Critics have slammed Trump’s apparent expansionist outlook as counter to his “America First” agenda. Commentators have also predicted how his desire for Canada may end up spectacularly backfiring on himself and the Republican Party.