Chrystia Freeland said in New York that Canada should avoid deepening economic ties with a partner that has suggested taking over the country.
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Former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland said it is important for national security that Canada do everything it can to diversify trade away from the United States.
Speaking during a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Thursday, Freeland warned it is “dangerous to deepen or maintain a close economic relationship with a partner who ‘openly says they want to take you over.’”
Freeland pointed to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly mused about turning Canada into the 51st state. She said that while Trump ruled out using military force to annex Canada in January 2025, he has said he would consider using “economic force.”
Freeland also argued that dependence on any single trading partner is “not a great idea,” even in a scenario where the U.S. president supported free trade with Canada.
Freeland’s book “Unreliable Boyfriend” was released this week. She said the title refers to a comment she made on an American talk show in February, when she said the U.S. is “not a very reliable boyfriend right now.”
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