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The context in which Trump invited Canada to join the U.S. arises from disputes over tariffs — particularly a threatened 25% tariff on Canadian goods. Diane Francis suggested that Trump's comment came in response to Trudeau's complaints, positioning it as a "smartass" comment that masked underlying economic frustrations. Trump used humor to express his dissatisfaction, asserting that if Canada struggled under potential tariffs, it might as well fall under U.S. jurisdiction. The invitation highlights a resource allocation issue, underlining perceptions of Canada’s economic dependency on the U.S.