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IS DONALD TRUMP KIDDING?

Immigration law

02 Feb

Ever since Donald Trump's election win, he's been stirring the pot. Donald Trump has not yet taken office at the White House, but he is already stirring significant emotions with his declarations.

Brawley, a newly minted Canadian citizen after nearly 35 years of calling the country home, said Trump views the people he's negotiating with as rivals, not collaborators. Apparently, he believes that dropping wild, over-the-top remarks will throw them off their game and somehow hand him the upper hand.

“He thinks if he says something outrageous, it’s like throwing a pie in their face—totally destabilizing them, and then he gets to waltz in with the advantage,” Brawley joked.

CANADA

In Canada, tossing around threats to slap massive tariffs on Canadian products and casually daydreaming about turning the Great White North into America's newest "51st state." Because who wouldn't want to add poutine and polar bears to the mix, right?

Trump's remarks have sparked anger and concern among Canadians, while Americans living, studying, or working in Canada have had a more mixed response - largely shaped by how they cast their votes in the presidential election.

Trump's first jab at Canada came in November, when he announced he'd slap a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican imports once he’s back in the White House on January 20 - unless the two countries step up their border security with the U.S.

The president-elect claimed that the U.S. spends billions to protect Canada and took aim at imports of Canadian cars, lumber, and dairy products. "They should just be a state," he remarked to reporters. However, outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded with a sharp retort, stating there was "a snowball's chance in hell" of the two countries ever merging.

Wesoky, a political science student with Democrats Abroad Canada, argued that Trump’s tariffs would not only raise the cost of living in the U.S., but also hurt American consumers and businesses as much as they would hurt the Canadian economy. 

He added that Trump’s harsh rhetoric, which undermines the relationship built on trust and respect, is not just dangerous but could harm the U.S. economy. While Wesoky questioned the validity of Trump’s concerns about Canadian border security, he believes that any issues should be addressed through negotiations and cooperation, not threats.

GULF OF MEXICO

Among other remarks, he proposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" and reiterated his stance against wind power, claiming that wind turbines are "driving the whales crazy."

GREENLAND

Greenland - which has a population of just 57,000 - is the world's largest island and is a strategically important part of the Arctic region. It is also a founding member of NATO and is home to a large US military base.

When asked about Trump Jr.'s visit to Greenland, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Danish TV that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders" and that only the local people could decide its future. She added that "Greenland is not for sale," but emphasized the importance of maintaining strong cooperation with the U.S., a NATO ally.

Trump claimed the island is key to keeping an eye on Chinese and Russian ships, which he said are "everywhere." "I'm talking about protecting the free world," he told reporters, probably imagining a giant superhero cape billowing behind him.

PANAMA CANAL

The Panama Canal (Spanish: Canal de Panamá) is an artificial 82-kilometer (51-mile) waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific. During the Jimmy Carter administration, control of the canal was transferred from the U.S. to Panama in 1979, with the U.S. fully ending its joint control of the key waterway in 1999.

The Panama Canal is now run by the Panama Canal Authority, a government organization, though a Hong Kong-based company manages two ports linked to it. Trump has argued that the U.S. is being unfairly treated because it is "overcharged" higher fees for its ships to pass through the canal compared to other countries.

He argued that Panama is in "violation" of a deal with the U.S. and that "China is basically taking it over." "We gave the Panama Canal to Panama. We didn’t give it to China," Trump said on Tuesday, adding, "They've really abused that gift-like someone re-gifting a sweater you gave them last year."

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino denied in a video statement last month that China has influence over the canal and shot down the idea of the US taking back authority over it. "Every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to be so," he said.

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