Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sent firefighting resources to California as the state grapples with devastating wildfires. This comes despite the ongoing verbal duel between US President-elect Donald Trump and the outgoing Canadian Prime Minister.
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of making Canada the “51st American state,” while Trudeau has dismissed any such possibility.
On Thursday, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Canadian PM shared a video showing a Canadian waterbomber dousing flames in Los Angeles County ravaged by wildfires. He captioned the post, “Neighbours helping neighbors.” Interestingly, he used British and American spellings for "neighbours", perhaps underlining the distinction between the two countries.
“Canada is mobilizing to help fight the wildfires in southern California. Canadian water bombers are already in action. 250 firefighters are ready to deploy,” Trudeau wrote in a follow-up post, adding, “To our American neighbours: Canada's here to help.”
What Trump said
In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly provoked Canada with his proposal to merge it into America as the 51st state. He has even hinted at deploying financial pressure to bring Canada under US control. Following Trudeau's resignation a few days ago, Trump intensified his call for a United States-Canada merger.
“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
In a sharp response, Trudeau said there was "a snowball's chance in hell" that Canada would become part of the United States. "Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other's biggest trading and security partner," he added.
California Wildfires
The wildfire situation in Los Angeles remains dire. According to a CNN report, at least seven people have died, and over 10,000 structures have been destroyed. The fires, fuelled by fierce Santa Ana winds, continue to spread across the region, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate.
The most destructive blaze, the Palisades Fire, has ravaged coastal areas, while the Eaton Fire has swept through communities near the Angeles National Forest, reported CNN. While firefighters made some progress on January 9 as winds weakened, officials said that gusts were expected to pick up again.
