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\u201cThe people of the north are the ones asserting Canada\u2019s sovereignty,\u201d said Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson in Washington Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simpson, along with Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai and Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok, were scheduled to meet with representatives from Greenland, which Trump has also made noise about trying to acquire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The president complained about Canada later Thursday as he signed an order to implement \u201creciprocal tariffs\u201d \u2014 raising U.S. duties to match the tax rates that other countries charge on imports \u2014 his latest move disrupting the global economy. The duties could come into force as early as April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump\u2019s ire became focused on America\u2019s northern neighbour. He repeated claims that Canada should become the 51st state, griped about defence spending and northern security and called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a governor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTake a look at what\u2019s going on out there \u2014 you have Russian ships, you have China ships, you have Chinese ships, you have a lot of ships out there,\u201d Trump said. \u201cYou know people are in danger. This is a different world today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump\u2019s comments bring little relief to Canada\u2019s 13 premiers who were all in the United States capital Wednesday for the first time in history \u2014 part of a full-court press against Trump\u2019s threats to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Premiers had a meeting with two top White House advisers who promised to carry their message to the Oval Office. James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff, said later Wednesday that they \u201cnever agreed that Canada would not be the 51st state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Territorial leaders were undeterred, bringing a message of opportunities for Arctic collaboration between Canada and the United States to a talk at the Wilson Center Thursday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three territories have critical minerals essential for U.S. defence and advancement, as well as the geographic position to be a crucial partner in continental safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is a moment where people are now taking notice and it\u2019s providing real opportunities for economic development in the north, but also the social development,\u201d Simpson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump\u2019s increasing threats of devastating duties come as the president also expands on ideas around American imperialism, promising to redevelop Gaza, take back the Panama Canal, annex Greenland and make Canada the 51st state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump\u2019s Arctic push comes as he has talked about access to critical minerals and the American desire to push against the growing geopolitical presence of China and Russia in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Expansionist discourse is ringing alarm bells in Canada and Europe. Greenland is a semi-autonomous Arctic territory that isn\u2019t part of the European Union but whose 56,000 residents are EU citizens, as part of Denmark \u2014 a NATO ally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Greenland also has cultural, linguistic and family ties to the Inuit in Canada. The territorial premiers were meeting with Kenneth H\u00f8egh, a representative of Greenland to the United States, and Stig Piras, with Denmark\u2019s Embassy in Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump\u2019s ongoing comments about Arctic regions was likely to be a topic of discussion, as is the need to include Indigenous people who live there in any conversation about the Arctic\u2019s future, the premiers said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A dark point in Canada\u2019s colonial history was the forced relocation of Inuit to act \u201cas human flagpoles\u201d in Grise Fiord and Resolute Bay in the High Arctic, said Akeeagok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen you talk about the true impact in terms of sovereignty, I know it from a personal experience,\u201d said Akeeagok, who grew up in Grise Fiord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Canadian leaders should not get distracted, said Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pillai met with Donald Trump Jr. in North Carolina in December and has also spoken with Mike Dunleavy, Alaska\u2019s governor, who is close with members of the Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDonald Trump is not going to own the Arctic and he\u2019s not going to own Canada,\u201d Pillai said. \u201cBut he will own inflation if these tariffs come in … And that\u2019s not something he wants to do because his commitment to Americans was to make life more affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is opportunity for Canada to sit down with Trump, someone who considers himself a \u201cdealmaker,\u201d Pillai said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The northern territories have potential to play an important role in future North American prosperity and security, the premiers said, but it will take investment in infrastructure. Addressing the issue could also appease one of Trump\u2019s main irritants \u2014 that Canada is not meeting it\u2019s NATO defence spending target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trudeau pledged last year that Canada would hit the NATO target, amounting to two per cent of gross-domestic product on defence, by 2032 \u2014 which received criticism from Republican lawmakers and Trump for being far too late. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The territorial premiers made the case that investing in the Arctic, including highways and ports, would count toward NATO spending, while also bringing much-needed infrastructure to their regions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Canada released a new Arctic foreign policy late last year, which committed to promoting investment in a wide range of sectors \u2014 including critical mineral development, transportation and energy \u2014 but didn\u2019t specifically make funding commitments in those areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ottawa has said the Arctic policy complements the updated defence policy, released last April, which promised $218 million over 20 years to build and operate \u201csupport hubs\u201d across the North.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The premiers said there needs to be quick action in the north in the wake of the Trump administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very important that we focus on this now,\u201d Pillai said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 With files from The Associated Press<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 12, 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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