Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said on Tuesday that he is open to the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state after President-elect Donald Trump suggested to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that the country could join the United States.
"Trump has suggested that Canada become the 51st state in our union," Sanders wrote. "Does that mean that we can adopt the Canadian health care system and guarantee health care to all, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and spend 50% less per capita on health care?"
"I'm all for it," he added.
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Sanders is a staunch supporter of universal public health care and a critic of the U.S. healthcare system and the pharmaceutical industry. He has often cited universal healthcare systems working in other developed countries.
More specifically, the lawmaker proposed a "Medicare for All, single-payer, national health insurance program" to provide all Americans with free health care coverage at the point of service.
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Last Friday, Trudeau flew to Mar-a-Lago unannounced after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Specifically, Trump is threatening to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico over their failures to curb the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs from those countries into the U.S.
Trudeau told Trump he cannot levy the tariff because it would kill the Canadian economy completely. Trump replied – asking, so your country can't survive unless it's ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?
Trump then suggested to Trudeau that Canada become the 51st state, which caused the prime minister and others to laugh nervously, sources told Fox News. But he continued, telling Trudeau that prime minister is a better title, though he could still be governor of the 51st state.
Sources told Fox News someone at the table chimed in and advised Trump that Canada would be a very liberal state, which received even more laughter. Trump suggested that Canada could possibly become two states: a conservative and a liberal one.
