The leader of Canada’s Green Party, Elizabeth May, garnered worldwide attention after a sharp critique she made of President-elect Donald Trump went viral.
May’s remarks defending Canadian sovereignty and advocating for urgent climate action made at a press conference on Parliament Hill quickly gained traction online, amassing over 14 million views across YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Canadian member of parliament in a scathing mockery of Trump’s call for Canada to be the 51st US state and his ignorance on the “Westminster parliamentary” form of government suggested the opposite. “This is what we’ve got for you: Free healthcare, universal, free healthcare. No more one-year-olds who suddenly fall off the Medicaid list, and their parents are on the news because they’re trying to do a GoFundMe to get their daughter to a doctor.”
In a bold and satirical twist, May offered a deal to U.S. west coast states—that California, Oregon, and Washington should consider joining Canada. “Maybe California would like to be the 11th province. How ‘bout it, California? Oregon? Washington? We’ve got geography in common,” she urged.
Her comments highlighted Canada’s strengths, including universal healthcare and stricter gun laws, and contrasted them with the situation in the U.S. system. “Safer streets here, we already have strict gun laws, and women have the right to an abortion under the universal healthcare system,” May asserted.
May also ridiculed Trump’s lack of understanding of global affairs, referencing his recent post on Truth Social where he suggested that Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky should run for prime minister. Trump reportedly said, “I told Wayne, ‘You’d win easily, you wouldn’t even have to campaign.’ He had no interest.”
May suggested Trump “get [himself] a briefing on the nature of . . . a Westminster parliamentary system and a constitutional monarchy where no one runs for prime minister.”
May dismissed Trump’s casual remarks as insulting, particularly his suggestion that Canada could become “the 51st state.” She called such taunts “astonishing” and reiterated Canada’s commitment to its sovereignty and principles.
“We do not aspire to be the 51st state,” she said. “If it was a joke, it was never funny, and it ends now.”
May also condemned Trump’s leadership and criticized the “alignment of bullies and petro-states,” declaring that healthy democracies should never capitulate to threats. She added, “Canada will always be one of the best friends and neighbors the U.S. has ever known. Sometimes we need to remind them of that fact.”
Social media users and climate activists worldwide have applauded May’s fiery speech, hailing her as a strong voice for climate action and Canadian independence. Her remarks have not only sparked debate about U.S.-Canada relations but also underscored the global urgency of addressing climate challenges in the face of political pressures.