“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary believes President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that Canada become the 51st U.S. state deserves serious debate.
“What I love about Trump is he throws big ideas out there and causes and absolute you-know-what…and then out of it comes some really good ideas,” he said of Trump’s talk about Canada.
The president-elect's remark came during a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago after Trump told him to fix border issues and the trade deficit, otherwise he will levy a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods once back in office. When Trudeau warned that would destroy the Canadian economy, Trump reportedly said, "so your country can't survive unless it's ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?" Fox News reported. If that was the case, he suggested our northern neighbor become the 51st state.
O'Leary said he's on to something.
"Combining our countries together with a common currency, a viable passporting system after you're approved as they have in EU, we'd be the most powerful nation on earth," the Canadian investor said on Fox News. "Unlimited water, unlimited power, and unlimited reserves of every kind....The ideas are simple, common currency, common defense of the north against the Chinese....Combined, we're the richest nation on earth by every single measure. We got everything we need. We don't need anything from anybody. And nobody should mess with us. Strength, economic strength is power. And we should show the Chinese, don't screw with us."
Combining our countries together with a common currency, a viable passporting system after you're approved as they have in EU, we'd be the most powerful nation on earth. Unlimited water, unlimited power, and unlimited reserves of every kind. The ideas are simple, common currency,… pic.twitter.com/EyhkY234B5
— Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) December 31, 2024
In a separate interview, O'Leary emphasized that this would be an economic union.
The Canadian public definitely don't want to give up their sovereignty, but they really want to explore this idea of an economic union. Canada has unlimited resources, power, gas, water, lumber, unlimited everything. What if we had free trade east, west, north, south, and we put… pic.twitter.com/vq2Zj46Kp3
— Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) December 30, 2024
The investor said he's going to head to Mar-a-Lago to further discuss the issue with Trump.
"I like this idea and at least half of Canadians are interested," he claimed. "Nobody wants Trudeau to negotiate this deal. I don't want him doing it for me, so I'm going to go to Mar-a-Lago. I'll start the narrative."
There's 41 million Canadians sitting on the world's largest amounts of all resources, including the most important, energy and water. Canadians over the holidays have been talking about this. They want to hear more. What this could be is the beginning of an economic union. Think… pic.twitter.com/yp5PuLgxZJ
— Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) December 26, 2024
"I think in this kernel of an idea and yes, maybe it was a joke to start. There is something great here to be done..." he said.
