Trump says Canadians pay too much in taxes.
US President Donald Trump says Canadians will get a “massive” tax cut and “much better” health insurance if Canada becomes the 51st state.
CTV News reports this.
Trump's statement was made at a briefing in North Carolina on Friday, January 24, after the president visited areas affected by Hurricane Helene.
“I would like to see Canada become the 51st state. The citizens of Canada, if that happened, would get a very big tax cut – a huge tax cut – because they pay very high taxes. They would have much better health insurance. I think the people of Canada would be happy with that,” the American president said.
The publication notes that health insurance in Canada and the United States looks in different ways.
Canada's Medicare system is publicly funded. Each province and territory has its own insurance plan, which is paid for and administered by different levels of government.
In theory, everyone in Canada has access to hospital and doctor services without having to pay out of pocket. In practice, 17 per cent of Canadians aged 18 and over said they did not have access to a usual health care provider in 2023, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
The United States does not have universal health care. Instead, most people are insured through private insurance through their employer, school, or through the federal Medicare program, which is available to people over 65 or those with certain health conditions. Some low-income Americans are eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average U.S. consumer will spend about $5,300 on health insurance and health care services in 2023.
Recall that Canadian Prime Minister candidate Freeland promised a “counterattack” against Trump. Chrystia Freeland plans to use countertariffs to put economic pressure on the United States.
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