Trump's threat to annex Canada ´real´: Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to annex Canada "is a real thing," reported Xinhua, qouting local media.

According to a CBC News report, Trudeau told business leaders at the Canada-U.S. Economic Summit in Toronto that it would be motivated by the access to Canada's critical minerals.

"Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country and it is a real thing," Trudeau was quoted as saying. The prime minister went on to say that Trump is driven because the United States could benefit from Canada's critical mineral resources.

Trudeau made the remarks after delivering an opening address to the summit Friday morning, outlining the key issues facing the country when it comes to Canada's trading relationship with the United States, CTV News reported.

Trudeau said Canada needs both a tactical response to Trump's tariff threats in the short term, as well as a strategy for dealing with a less cooperative United States in the long term.

The Trump administration last week announced to impose tariffs on imports from Canada, and Canada hit back with 25-percent tariffs on 155 billion Canadian dollars (107 billion U.S. dollars) worth of American goods. The two countries then paused proposed tariffs for at least 30 days. Trump has said if Canada wants to avoid steep tariffs it could become the 51st U.S. state.