A Canadian lawmaker who recently gave a speech ripping Republican Donald Trump doubled down on his criticism following the U.S. president-elect’s tariff threats and other remarks targeting Canada.
Charlie Angus, a member of the left-leaning New Democratic Party who serves in the Canadian Parliament, said in an interview released Friday that his response was a “really simple” matter of “standing up and saying no.”
“We’re going to have tough negotiations, fair play. But this kind of dismissive, idiotic behavior? I mean, he’s a juvenile,” Angus told Ben Meiselas of the MeidasTouch Network in reference to Trump.
His comments arrive after Trump, who has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, has blamed those two countries for migrants and fentanyl “pouring” into America.
The U.S. president-elect, whose Florida estate received a visit from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month, reportedly suggested during the meeting that Canada could become the “51st state” if the proposed tariffs kill its economy, in a remark that purportedly got nervous laughter out of Trudeau and others.
Earlier this week, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to mock Trudeau, a member of Canada’s Liberal Party, by referring to him as the “Governor” of the “Great State of Canada.”
Canadian officials have pushed back against Trump’s tariff threats.
Ontario — Canada’s most populous province and home to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, which bills itself as “one of the largest retailers and wholesalers of beverage alcohol in the world” — could restrict LCBO from buying U.S.-made alcohol and also restrict electricity exports if Trump imposes sweeping tariffs, a senior official in the province reportedly said Thursday.
Angus, in Tuesday remarks in the Canadian House of Commons, had said that his country has previously “stood up” to America despite the two nations being “neighbors.”
“We’re in a different situation with Donald Trump,” Angus said, adding that Trump is “seriously undermining the democratic process in the United States, and he thinks he can just push us around. He insults us.”
He also remarked: “We need to stand up to Donald Trump. Not to be boasting like he boasts and not to be threatening like he threatens, but to stand for Canadian values. That, no, we will counter falsehood with truth. That we will be a good neighbor, that we will protect our border but that we will not be pushed around.”
Angus told Meiselas that Canadians are “not going to be slapped around.”
“There’s a tradition in Canada of not wanting to be openly confrontive, which is fair — I think that’s who we are,” he said. “But Donald Trump’s a different kind of animal. He’s playing for the rage algorithms, and I don’t think we should allow him that free rein.”
He later invited Trump to visit Canada “anytime in the winter.”
“Try and drive our roads. Try and win an argument with any woman in Canada,” he said. “We’re pretty tough and resilient people.”
Check out more of Angus’ interview on the MeidasTouch Network below.