what’s new
President-elect Donald Trump has floated the idea of hockey pro Wayne Gretzky running for Canada’s leadership in the future.
The Republican president-elect said Gretzky would make a good prime minister and “will be governor in no time,” referring to President Trump’s repeated proposal to make Canada a U.S. state.
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump transition team and Wayne Gretzky’s representatives for comment on this story.
why is it important
President Trump is taking a new interest in Canadian politics as his return to the White House approaches. Immediately after winning the 2024 election, he met with current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, and announced new tariffs that could impose taxes of up to 25% on all Canadians. We talked about policy. Goods.
Prime Minister Trudeau is expected to be re-elected in 2025, with Canada’s federal election scheduled to be held by October next year. Current polls show the Conservative Party of Canada with a decisive lead over Trudeau’s Liberals.
What you need to know
Wayne Gretzky previously supported the Conservative Party in Canada’s 2015 federal election, when Trudeau first became prime minister. During the campaign, he appeared at rallies for his incumbent party and described Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper as “great for the country” and “one of the greatest prime ministers of all time”.
The sportsman is also involved with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, supporting Patrick Brown when he ran for the party’s leadership in 2015.
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Trump said Gretzky also attended Trump’s 2024 election victory party at Mar-a-Lago with his family and met with the president-elect sometime in December.
Gretzky, whose father is Ukrainian, has been outspoken about the war in Ukraine and called for Russia to be banned from participating in international sporting events. He is also a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.
President Trump has repeatedly said that Canada could become a U.S. state, posting on social media, “Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st state. There would be huge savings in protection. I think it’s a great idea.”
people’s opinions
“I just broke up with Wayne Gretzky. ‘He’s one of the greatest people known in the hockey world,'” Donald Trump said on the social media site Truth Social. ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for Prime Minister of Canada right now?”’ To be known as the Governor-General of Canada, you would win easily and you wouldn’t even have to campaign.
“He wasn’t interested, but I think Canadians should start a draft campaign for Wayne Gretzky. It would be a lot of fun to watch!”
what happens next
Canadian voters will go to the polls in 2025, with a federal election constitutionally mandated by Oct. 20. Prime Minister Trudeau leads the Liberal Party, while Pierre Poièvre leads the Conservative Party.
Trump will take office in January 2025 and return to the White House after his first term ends in 2021.
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