AFN National Chief rejects 'outlandish, disrespectful' Trump remarks on Canada joining U.S.

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, the Assembly of First Nations national chief, is rejecting Donald Trump's remarks on annexing Canada to the U.S., saying they are offensive and concerning as they undermine the sovereignty of Indigenous people. 

Since being elected as U.S. president, Trump has repeatedly mused about Canada becoming a part of the United States, recently saying he would rely on "economic force" to merge the countries after returning to the White House. 

To Woodhouse Nepinak, Trump's comments are alarming, disheartening, and they open a discussion she never thought the country would be having at this time in history. 

"When you're going to come and talk about our lands, our resources, there's First [Nations] people on both sides of the border he has to make sure he speaks to," she told CBC News on Thursday. "[He] can't just unilaterally push his weight around."

"We reject these outlandish, disrespectful statements regarding our ancestral traditional territories," she said.

Woodhouse Nepinak, who is from the Pinaymootang First Nation in Manitoba's Interlake, said Trump's comments undermine the sovereignty and self-determination of Indigenous peoples in Canada, who will continue to fight, protect and uphold their inherent rights in to their lands.

 "We've stood up against colonialism before, and we'll continue to do so," she said.

Trump's remarks have been a matter of conversation between First Nations and government officials. But as premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau scheduled a new meeting for next week to address the latest threats, Woodhouse Nepinak said there's no "Team Canada" if First Nations aren't invited to the table. 

First Nations have inhabited North America since time immemorial, Woodhouse Nepinak said, and any suggestions on the future of those lands and traditional territories must ensure the voices of Indigenous people are included to uphold their freedoms and rights

"Indigenous peoples in these countries need to be respected on both sides of the border," she said. "It's important that First Nations voices are not left out of that, we have been longtime allies."

Trudeau responded to Trump's remarks on Tuesday writing on X "there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States." In his own statement, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said, "Canada will never be the 51st state. Period."

Woodhouse Nepinak supports the stance taken publicly by both leaders but said it is important to have this conversation face-to-face, as opposed to via social media.

The AFN is planning to contact Trump's team once his second term in office begins, Woodhouse Nepinak said, and she is extending the invitation to the president-elect to come to Canada and talk with First Nations people.  

"He's made statements on water … you need to talk to First [Nations] people first about that …  when it comes to economics, there's so much that we can talk to him [about]," Woodhouse Nepinak said. 

"We'd be ready to meet with him in a good way and try [to] find a way through what his thought process is."