In a strong rebuttal to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asserted that there is “a snowball's chance in hell” that Canada would ever merge with the United States. This statement comes in response to Trump's recent provocative suggestion that he might use “economic force” to facilitate Canada becoming the 51st state.

During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump proposed that eliminating the “artificially drawn line” between the two nations would enhance national security. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line and you take a look at what that looks like,” he remarked, suggesting that it would improve the safety of both countries. In response, Trudeau emphasized, “There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,” highlighting the importance of the strong trade and security ties shared by Canada and the U.S.

Support for Trudeau's stance came from Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, who articulated that Trump's comments exhibited a “complete lack of understanding” of Canada’s sovereignty. “Our economy is strong. Our people are strong. We will never back down in the face of threats,” she stated, reinforcing Canada’s resilience in the light of such remarks.

Trump's threats included the potential imposition of a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, which could severely impact Canada's economy given that approximately 75% of its exports are sent to the United States. As tensions mount, this verbal clash coincides with Trudeau's recent announcement of stepping down as Prime Minister.

For more details, read the full articles from Reuters and India Times.