(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary said Thursday “at least half of Canadians are interested” in combining their country with the U.S. under incoming President Donald Trump.
Since winning a second term in the White House, Trump has repeatedly trolled Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Canada will soon become part of America as its 51st state if the country does not heed to the incoming U.S. president’s demands on issues including the border and the economy.
Justin Trudeau: "New tariffs will kill the Canadian economy."
Donald Trump: "Well, maybe Canada should become the 51st state, and you can be its governor!"
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) December 3, 2024
O’Leary, a Canadian businessman, said in an appearance on Fox Business that he likes Trump’s proposal of combining U.S. and Canadian economies.
The Shark Tank star said he will soon start talks with the president-elect at Mar-a-Lago.
“There’s 41 million Canadians, basically the population of California, sitting on the world’s largest amounts of all resources including the most important energy and water,” O’Leary told the host, adding that Trump’s economic idea was a salient conversation topic among Canadians over the holidays.
NEW: Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary, a Canadian, says he likes the idea of combining the US and Canadian economies, says he is heading to Mar-a-Lago to start the talks.
O'Leary said half of Canadians are interested in Trump's proposal.
"[Canadians] want to hear more… what this… pic.twitter.com/ss2sjIADBC
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 26, 2024
He added that merging both countries’ economies could be the birth of an “economic union.”
“Think about the power of combining the two economies, erasing the border between Canada and the United States,” he said.
Canada has many valuable natural resources, according to O’Leary, who noted that China and Russia are “knocking on the doors” of the northern border.
He said combining U.S. and Canadian economies would secure the northern border and vouched for a common currency and changes in taxes.
REPORT: Canadians respond to Donald Trump's offer of taking over Canada, say his proposal "sounds good to us."
Based.
The comments come after Trump's Christmas Day message where he said Canadians would get a 60% tax cut if they agreed to become a US state.
Alberta resident… pic.twitter.com/OOAyZF5JIS
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 26, 2024
“I like this idea and at least half of Canadians are interested,” O’Leary said before mentioning the problem of a collapsing Canadian government. “Nobody wants Trudeau to negotiate this deal. I don’t want him doing it for me, so I’m gonna go to Mar-a-Lago. I’ll start the narrative.”
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer published by the Daily Caller, Headline USA, The Federalist, and The American Spectator. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
