Canada ‘is not for sale’: Ford says he’s ‘got a better deal for Trump’ instead of becoming 51st U.S. state

'We have the critical minerals, we have the energy, we have the electricity that America needs,' Ontario premier says

Published Jan 08, 2025  •  2 minute read

Instead of Canada joining the U.S. to becoming the 51st state, Doug Ford suggests the two nations create Fortress Am-Can, a trade deal to see both nations prosper. Photo by Adrian Wyld /The Canadian Press/File

Instead of Canada becoming the 51st state, as U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly reiterated, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is proposing a different plan: Fortress Am-Can.

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After initially floating the idea in posts to X, Ford appeared on Fox News Tuesday night, telling host Jesse Watters Tuesday that Canada “is not for sale.”

Instead, he proposed a trade deal to ensure “it’s the richest, wealthiest, most prosperous jurisdiction in two countries anywhere in the world.”

“We have the critical minerals, we have the energy, we have the electricity that America needs and there’s only one place I’d want to sell it to, and that’s the U.S.,” Ford said during the brief interview.

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As he did on X and in earlier interviews with both CNN and BBC, Ford also attempted to redirect the Trump administration’s monetary ire by accusing China and Mexico of unfair trade practices that hurt both Canada and the U.S.

“China is shipping in cheap parts into Mexico and then Mexico is slapping a ‘Made in Mexic’o sticker on it, shipping it up through the U.S. and Canada, costing American and Canadian jobs,” Ford claimed.

“Mexico has to make a choice: they’re either with Beijing or Washington.”

Speaking with reporters earlier, Ford suggested Canada should purchase property in the U.S. instead. 

“You know something, to the president I’ll make him a counteroffer; How about if we buy Alaska and throw in Minnesota and Minneapolis at the same time?” the premier said Monday, per CTV. 

He’s since clarified that the comment was a joke.

Meanwhile, Ford is holding a press conference alongside Minister of Energy Stephen Lee on Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. ET.

The event is being held near the Darlington Nuclear Generation Station.

Ford has previously said Ontario would “use every tool” at its disposal to fight the Trump’s 25 per cent tariff threat including cutting them off from Ontario energy which is currently sold to five states.

“We need to be ready to fight,” he said.

The following day on CNBC, Trump said “That’s fine” and again insisted the U.S. needn’t be “subsidizing Canada.”

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