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Sputnik Amplifies Divisive Canada Becoming ‘51st State’ Narrative

The Claim

The core claim in the tweet is that Canada might (or should) become “the 51st state” of the United States. Depending on the exact wording, the tweet either floats the idea that the U.S. is “annexing” Canada or that there is credible talk of Canada losing its independence and joining the U.S. While the tweet may not say “Canada will be annexed by the United States,” it implies that Canada’s sovereignty is at risk or that the U.S. is poised to absorb it—turning Canada into “the next U.S. state.”

The Facts

    • There is no legitimate movement in the Canadian Parliament or the U.S. Congress pushing for Canada’s annexation. Both countries have well-defined constitutions, and any serious path to merging would require extensive, high-level government actions that simply are not underway.
    • Polls in Canada regularly show a strong preference for remaining independent. The idea of becoming a U.S. state is not mainstream policy in Canadian politics.
    • Canada and the U.S. share strong economic ties (NAFTA/USMCA) and collaborate closely on defense (NORAD), but these relationships do not indicate any plan for political union.
    • Both countries maintain clear sovereignty, with different legal systems, political structures, and cultural identities.

Narrative Context

  1. Sputnik as Russian State Media
    • Sputnik (and RT, Russia’s other state-funded outlet) often publishes provocative angles on Western politics aiming to sow confusion or amplify divisions in Western countries.
    • Framing Canada as “the 51st state” can be interpreted as a way to portray the U.S. as encroaching on neighbors or to mock Canada’s close ties with America.
    • The narrative, introduced by President Donald Trump, is being exploited by Russian state media to divide Canadians and Americans, and incite anger in Canada towards the United States, which is a direct aim of the Russian Presidential administration. The aim of inciting and inflaming conflict in the Western world, has been outlined in official government documents, included in a September 2024, FBI affidavit.
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