Trump's apparent joke about Canada becoming 51st state draws range of reaction in B.C.

Revelations about a cheeky comment during a dinner meeting at president-elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort between Trump and Prime Justin Minister Trudeau last week are creating waves.

Fox News reported, citing anonymous sources, that Trump joked to Trudeau that if a 25 per cent tariff would kill Canada’s economy, meaning it can’t survive without “ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion” a year, then maybe Canada should become the 51st state.

The joke generated a buzz in Ottawa Tuesday. Some, including Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc, who was also at the dinner, downplayed the joke.

“The president was telling jokes; the president was teasing us,” said Leblanc Tuesday. “It was of course, on that issue, in no way a serious comment,” he said.

But the humour is not landing well on some British Columbian ears.

B.C. Conservative Finance critic, Peter Milobar, weighed in Tuesday. “Obviously, a very serious situation as it relates to the B.C. economy and how reliant we are on our exports,” he said.

B.C.’s minister of state for trade, Rick Glumac, tried his hand at comedy in response Tuesday.

“I guess, I got one message for president-elect Donald Trump – this is Canada, so take off, eh?” joked Glumac.

Glumac then went on to acknowledge that B.C. needs to diversify its export markets.

“We have already a trade diversification strategy and we’re definitely going to be building on that and finding new markets,” he said Tuesday.

Members of B.C.’s forestry sector—already facing duties of 14 per cent—say there's nothing funny about the ongoing war of words and Trump's threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods unless, Trump says, we take action to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs.

“I can tell you right now, it’s generating a lot of uncertainty amongst our businesses, who are considering whether or not or how to go about shipping,” said Brian Menzies, with the Independent Wood Processors Association of British Columbia.