How Canada would compare to other 50 states after reported Trump comments

Donald Trump reportedly told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Canada “should become the 51st state,” according to Fox News, which cited unnamed sources.

The President-elect allegedly made the remark during a three-hour-long dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Club last week, which Trudeau attended after Trump threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian products sent to the U.S.

According to Fox News, Trudeau allegedly pleaded with Trump not to implement the new levy during the dinner because it would “kill” Canada’s economy, according to Fox News.

“So your country can’t survive unless it’s ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?” Trump reportedly replied, referencing the U.S. trade deficit with Canada.

The president-elect then reportedly joked that Canada could become the 51st state, with Trudeau serving as its governor. Trudeau and others at the table laughed “nervously” at the remark, according to Fox News. Trump also suggested that Canada could be split into two states—a liberal and a conservative one, according to the report.

Neither Trump’s transition team or Trudeau’s team has verified the reports. Newsweek has contacted both offices for comment via email.

While Canada and the United States are close neighbors and have historically been close allies, it is very unlikely that Canada would become the United States’ 51st state.

But if for some reason Canada were to become a U.S. state, it could present some challenges owing to the differences between the two countries.

Population

In terms of population, Canada is bigger than any U.S. state, with a population of 40 million. California, the most populated state in the U.S., has a population of around 39 million.

This means California alone nearly matches the entire population of Canada, even though Canada’s land area is about 25 times larger than California’s.

Canada’s population is concentrated along its southern border, with vast areas of the country sparsely inhabited due to harsh climates. In contrast, California is densely populated, with major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego driving its high numbers.

Economy

Canada has a smaller GDP than California, Texas and New York, at $2.2 trillion, while its GDP is larger than the 47 other U.S. states’. Overall, the U.S. economy is more than 10 times the size of Canada’s, with a GDP of $27 trillion.

However, both countries have closer GDPs per capita: the U.S. at around $81,000 and Canada at approximately $53,000.

Canada is the largest foreign buyer of U.S. goods, while the U.S. accounts for nearly 75 percent of Canada’s exports, including energy, vehicles, and raw materials. The interdependence between the U.S. and Canada means that if Canada were to become a U.S. state, the dynamics of trade between the two would fundamentally change, as trade would no longer occur between two sovereign nations, with all tariffs and customs eliminated.

This could reduce costs for Canadian businesses and consumers. However, businesses would likely also see more competition.

Health care

Canada is known for having free universal health care, paid for through taxes, while the majority of Americans receive health care through private insurance, typically provided by employers.

While the U.S. leads in medical innovation and specialized care, it has the highest health care costs globally, with many Americans facing significant financial barriers or remaining uninsured. Canada’s system ensures equitable access and lower costs but is often criticized for longer wait times for nonurgent procedures.

No U.S. states currently pay for heathcare through taxes, so if Canada were to become a U.S. state, it would likely see a major overhaul of its health care system.

Gun Laws

In the U.S., the Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms. Canada has much stricter laws around firearms, with all gun owners needing a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL), which requires training, background checks, and references.

Canada’s firearm regulations mirror those of states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey, which require permits for gun ownership and purchases, and require universal background checks, even for private sales.

There has been an average of 1,300 firearms deaths per year over the past 25 years in Canada, according to the country’s Justice Department. Of the 1,125 firearm deaths in 1995, about 80.1 percent, or 911, were classified as suicides. More than 48,000 people in the U.S. died as a result of guns in 2021 alone, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with just under 21,000 of those caused by homicide, compared to 26,000 caused by suicide.