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This is why people call part of the Left “Looney”.
There is no current, direct evidence from official U.S. government channels suggesting an intention to annex Canada. However, there are several historical and contemporary discussions and actions that have fueled speculation on this topic:
Historical Context: Historically, there have been moments when the U.S. considered or discussed annexing parts or all of Canada, notably during the War of 1812 and in various post-war planning scenarios. For instance, the U.S. had plans like “War Plan Red” in the 1930s, which included strategies for dealing with Canada in the event of a conflict with Britain.
Recent Political Rhetoric: More recently, comments from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in 2025 have stirred debate. Trump has suggested using “economic force” to make Canada the 51st state, mentioning this during a press conference and on social media. This rhetoric has been interpreted by some as serious intent, while others see it as negotiation tactics or bluster aimed at influencing trade or other policy negotiations.
Public and Media Reaction: Posts on X and articles from various news outlets have discussed these comments, with some expressing concern over U.S. intentions. However, these are often framed as speculative or as reactions to Trump’s statements rather than evidence of a formal policy.
Legal and Practical Considerations: Legally, annexation would require constitutional amendments and referendums in both countries, processes that are complex and politically unfeasible without mutual consent. The practicalities of annexation, including military and economic implications, are also significant deterrents.
Canadian Response: Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have strongly rejected these ideas, with statements indicating no possibility of Canada becoming a U.S. state. This reflects a strong national sentiment against such a move.
While there is no concrete evidence of an active plan to annex Canada, the historical interest, coupled with recent provocative political rhetoric, keeps the topic in public discourse. However, without a formal policy or legislative action, these discussions remain speculative or part of political posturing rather than actual policy intent.
Parents with Inconvenient Truth about Trans is a substack you should follow if you are interested in the pushback against transgender ideology and defending children from harm.
“If PITT readers each had a dollar for every time we’ve heard the much debunked, emotionally manipulative “live son or dead daughter” myth we’d all be very rich. We hear the “transition or die” trope from the media, schools, the government, misinformed family and friends, and from our own trans identified kids, who hear it themselves from the same sources as us and from fellow trans-identified peers in real life and on social media. I’ve heard it many times from Governor Spencer Cox of Utah, the state where I live. In February 2021 Governor Cox vetoed a bill that proposed to ban ‘transgender girls’ from participating in girls’ K-12 sports stating, “I don’t understand what they are going through or why they feel the way they do. But I want them to live… These kids are… they’re just trying to stay alive.”
A well-known purveyor of this harmful narrative is Diane Ehrensaft who is the chief psychologist at the UCSF Benioff Hospital Child and Adolescent Gender Clinic. In a widely circulated video of Dr. Ehrensaft giving a conference presentation she acknowledges that when children are given puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones as part of ‘gender affirming’ medical intervention, one side effect is infertility, and she wonders if children can really consent to this. She says, “The other issue that’s a showstopper now for many parents around giving consent to puberty blockers is the fertility issue. That if a child goes straight from puberty blockers directly to cross sex hormones they, at this point in history, they are pretty much forfeiting their fertility and so they will not have a genetically related child… The question is, can an 11-year-old, 12-year-old at that level of development, be really thinking and know what they want at age 30 around infertility?” Dr. Ehrensaft answers her own question by likening ‘gender affirming’ medical care to oncological care for children with cancer. “The answer to that is we don’t think twice about instituting treatments for cancers for children that will compromise their fertility. We don’t say, ‘We’re not going to give them the treatment for cancer because it’s going to compromise their fertility.’ For some youth, having the gender affirmation interventions is as life-saving as the oncology services for children who have cancer.”
Dr. Ehrensaft is, of course, insinuating that ‘gender affirming care’ is “life-saving” for children who identify as transgender because, if not affirmed, they might commit suicide. Her colleague, Joel Baum, states this more explicitly. “I’ll just add one thing here. When we’re working with families, what is the leverage point for that family?…The fact of the matter is at the end of the day, it is their decision and we just hope they’re going to make an informed decision. Just make sure you have all the information you need. Which includes, you can either have grandchildren or not have a kid anymore, because they’ve ended the relationship with you or in some cases because they’ve chosen a more dangerous path for themselves.”
Activists like Diane Ehrensaft peddle, and stooges like Governor Cox buy, the claim that ‘gender affirming care’ is like chemotherapy for cancer—life-saving and medically necessary. This is infuriating and deeply offensive to me because I am the mother of a trans-identified young adult daughter who thankfully seems to be desisting, and an older teenage son in active treatment for leukemia. Based on my son’s risk factors, his oncologist has given him an 85% chance of survival. His treatment is life-saving and medically necessary. Without it he would already be dead. The hard truth is that even with it he might still die. It is hyperbolic and shameful for anyone to conflate chemotherapy with ‘gender affirming care’, or to hold parents emotionally hostage with the words “transition or die”, “live son or dead daughter.”
It’s true that my daughter has been in great distress. She is a bright, socially awkward, mildly autistic girl with depression and generalized anxiety. But she is not going to die. In fact, how can she not be distressed when she has internalized what she’s heard repeatedly—that she one of the most marginalized, most oppressed, and most hated people on the face of the earth? That people are literally trying to erase her existence? That she must undergo extreme medical and surgical procedures and become a lifelong medical patient or she might kill herself? As she walks the road to desistance she told me recently that she believes she can relearn to love her body, but she is going to have to “unlearn a lot of stuff.”
Advocates of ‘gender affirming’ healthcare cite high suicide rates as evidence that medical and surgical intervention is “life-saving and medically necessary.” It goes without saying that every suicide is tragic, but there is no high-quality evidence to suggest that the often quoted overall attempted suicide rate of youth who identify as transgender is 41%. Dr. Laura Edwards-Leeper who is the Chair of the Child and Adolescent Committee for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health has stated, “As far as I know there are no studies that say that if we don’t start these kids immediately on hormones when they say they want them that they are going to commit suicide.. So that is misguided… in terms of needing to intervene medically to prevent suicide and doing it quickly. I know of no studies that have shown that.” There is also no evidence that medical transition decreases suicidality. In fact, one study showed that post transition adults were 4.9 times more likely to have made a suicide attempt and 19.1 times more likely to have died from suicide than the general population. No one is born in the wrong body. Our sex is written into the DNA of every cell of our body. People cannot change sex. It’s a serious thing to insinuate to someone that their healthy body is somehow wrong and might require extreme, irreversible cosmetic interventions to relieve mental distress. There is no right or wrong way to be a boy or a girl, a man or a woman.
Let me spell out for Diane Ehrensaft a few of the many reasons why it’s inaccurate to conflate cancer treatment and ‘gender affirming care.’ First, chemotherapy is given only after a confirmed diagnosis of cancer. We could not have brought our son to the hospital, declared he had cancer, and demanded chemotherapy. Demanding medication based on a self-diagnosis is something only my trans identified daughter could have done—because that only happens in gender clinics.
Second, pediatric cancer treatment is evidence-based. My son’s treatment plan was mapped out from the moment of his diagnosis based on exact protocols obtained over decades of research. It’s literally on a spreadsheet his medical team calls “the road map”. His hospital is part of a consortium of children’s hospitals that share data to further improve treatment and outcomes. ‘Gender affirming care’ is called the Wild West of healthcare for a reason. After a systematic review of the literature the countries of Finland, Sweden, the UK, and France, and the state of Florida have found the evidence for ‘gender affirming’ care to be of such low quality that they have abandoned the affirmative model of care. Even the much touted “gold standard” Dutch Protocol is now being discredited due to serious methodological flaws.
Third, outcomes for childhood cancers are well known, published, and updated. Post treatment my son will be followed for many years to assess his outcome. Outcomes for patients of ‘gender affirming care’ are mostly unknown. Clinics and providers rarely keep data and patients aren’t followed long enough to get reliable outcome information. Studies show that the average time to regret a gender transition is 8-10 years, but most patients are given follow up for much shorter times, if at all.
Finally, kids with cancer are given harsh, life-altering treatments because there is no other choice. Cancer treatment is truly life or death. ‘Gender affirming care’ however is iatrogenic, meaning that the treatment actually contributes to the condition. Eleven longitudinal studies have shown that, if just left alone, approximately 80% of dysphoric kids will simply outgrow the distress they feel and become comfortable with their bodies.
My family is very fortunate that childhood leukemia has a good prognosis, but the treatment is a grind. My son has faced his treatment with grace, good humor, and as much optimism as he can muster. One clinic day though my son just wasn’t having it. He was exhausted, nauseated, and facing a long day of treatment. When his nurse came in to get him ready for chemo he was sitting hunched over on the bed, hoodie pulled over his head, eyes closed, earbuds in. She asked him if he had done anything fun that week and he just rolled his eyes. Nurses work with these kids every day for their job but they don’t live the reality. It’s hard to do anything fun when you feel like crap.
After a few one-word responses from my son to her questions she asked him point blank “Are you having suicidal thoughts?” We felt ambushed by the question and I immediately jumped into the conversation. “Are you kidding me? Why would you ask him that?” She explained that per hospital protocol she has to ask that question monthly. “ Fine,” I said. “We get it. But please put the question in context.” My daughter announced her ‘transgender’ identity to us with the help of an adult my daughter felt she could trust. We all sat on the couch in our living room while this man called our daughter by the new name she had chosen and warned us of her “high suicide risk.” As shocked as I was I still remember thinking, “Why are you talking about suicide in front of her? She’s sitting right here!?!” I understand that one way to prevent suicide is to ask about it directly. I’m not discounting that. But why didn’t my son’s nurse say, “Look, I know things are really hard right now but it will get better. We’re here for you and are going to take very good care of you.” Why hasn’t anyone except PITT parents and allies thought to say these same words to trans identified kids? “Life is hard sometimes but you can get through this.” There are many detransitioners who have expressed that they wish someone had said these words to them.
Experts agree that suicide contagion is a risk. That’s why the media has strict guidelines in how they report suicide. It’s incomprehensible why all that goes out the window with ‘trans kids.’ Sociologist Michael Biggs highlighted this in a recent podcast interview. He stated that the “live daughter better than a dead son” rhetoric has been around for a long time, and that it is true that a large number of young people who identify as transgender claim that they’ve thought about or attempted suicide. Suicide and self-harm can be a real concern but, he explains, “…when you make suicidality a central part of the [trans] identity, that actually that sort of enhances the likelihood of making claims about suicide. Because ‘to be trans’ in some ways means ‘to be suicidal’ because ‘society is rejecting you’ or ‘your parents are rejecting you’. So it’s very important to actually know how many deaths result.” Data he obtained with a freedom of information request from the NHS in the UK showed 4 suicides out of 15,000 transgender identified individuals. That’s not 41%. I wonder if Utah Governor Cox would still think boys should be allowed to play in girls’ sports if he understood it’s really not a life-or-death situation.
PITT readers, we have to get this suicide myth stopped in its tracks. We must take back control of the narrative. Speak up and speak out whenever and wherever you can. Call out this emotional blackmail for what it is. Challenge your kid, your medical providers, your legislators, your schools, your friends, and your family. Debunk this untrue, harmful myth wherever it’s being perpetuated. “Transition or die” is one of the flimsiest reasons among a host of incredibly flimsy reasons for the chemical castration and genital mutilation of kids. Calling the suicide myth out for the harmful nonsense it is will help to bring an end to this horrible era of medical experimentation on kids. Proclaim the truth! We have live daughters and sons!!”
Shops “A food company in Canmore is facing a backlash over a transphobic response to a donation request by Canmore Pride.
As the Canmore Pride Society prepares for its second annual celebration, the volunteer-led group has been reaching out to local businesses to ask for sponsorships. The group’s co-chair, K Kealey, sent an email to Valbella Gourmet Foods to ask for donations for an upcoming BBQ and was shocked by the response. The response was signed by Jeff von Rotz, whose email signature identified him as the deli’s owner. He started the email with a dig at Kealey’s single-letter name, then continued with transphobic and homophobic remarks.
“I’m sorry to say but you could not pay me to sponsor anything to do with child grooming tranny’s [sic].
“Please keep these sick people away from the children of this community, you should be disgusted with yourselves.”
He added that he’s sure there would be “some woke organization mentally ill enough to help” the group with their event, but it “isn’t Valbella’s.”
We should be clear here. This is not the most appropriate way to respond to a request for a donation from a special interest group. It isn’t a professional business appropriate response and should not have been sent out. A simple “no thank you” would have been entirely sufficient.
People feel strongly about issues and those emotions and impulses should not automatically be transferred to electronic media where they live forever. Stuff happens. However, lets take a look at the response.
“Kealey, who identifies by the pronouns they and them, said they were disappointed and hurt by the response.”
Welcome to society. The expectation not be offended and have your feelings hurt is an unrealistic and unhealthy belief.
“I shared the email because I was concerned about the safety of my own community and, as a trans person myself, I was thinking I didn’t want to go into that place or if I would be safe there anymore,” Kealey said Wednesday.
The bad man said words? And you are that fragile that you’d feel “unsafe” entering the store? This is classic vulnerable narcissism in action – pity me and (or I will make you pay for!) my bruised feelings…
Of course, if it ended there it would have been fine. Perhaps an adult conversation could have taken place and an apology elicited for the rude behaviour.
Ooooooooooor, we can take it the media and start a shit-show.
“We think we deserve spaces where people can go and be safe, and not only be safe but be fully accepted,” they said. “There are so many great people out here and they deserve better and deserve to exist in spaces as who they are and feel embraced for that.”
No one in society gets to be fully accepted automatically. And we really need to connect the dots between a heated email about donations and then somehow not being able to buy deli meat safely? It doesn’t compute outside the realm of those who are always on the lookout to be offended.
“Chantal von Rotz — Jeff’s sister and the daughter of the company’s founders, Walter and Leonie von Rotz — said in a post online Tuesday that Jeff has been removed from the company and its operations.
“The owners and leadership of Valbella Gourmet Foods express its deepest apologies to the Canmore LGBTQ+ community for an intolerant email that was sent (Tuesday) by one of our former team members,” said Chantal.
She said his words do not reflect the opinions of the Valbella team and that the company strives to make its workplace inclusive.”
Whoops – there is the damage control in action. The knee must be bent fully to the needs of fragile people with access to media and social media.
“We hope to soon be able to work with experts from the LGBTQ+ community to implement new training and education,” said Chantal. “Our priority is regaining the community’s trust.”
Valbella Gourmet Foods was founded by the von Rotzes in 1978 and has grown into a 40,000-square-foot production plant.
Chantal said a thorough review of internal policies is underway and the company will implement new equity, diversity and inclusion policy to make sure employees feel supported”
It won’t be enough. It is never enough. If the vulnerable narcissists want you cancelled, you will be cancelled. Better to stick up for your beliefs and tell them to go to hell, at least you will have your character and integrity intact.
“Several businesses that worked with Valbella Gourmet Foods have posted statements that they will no longer be doing business with the Canmore deli. The page on Valbella’s website listing its retail partners has been removed.
The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity said in a statement that it will remove all Valbella products from company operations and has ceased all business relations. The Fairmont Hotels at Jasper Park Lodge and Banff Springs said it will no longer work with or purchase from Valbella. Blush Lane and SPUD posted statements saying they have discontinued their relationships with Valbella.
Dan Berezan, founder and CEO of online Alberta farmer’s market Cultivatr, said in a statement his company has immediately suspended selling products from Valbella. The Canmore business was a vendor on the website.
“At Cultivatr, we have no place for hate of any kind,” said Berezan. “We have received tremendous support from the LBGTQIA2S+ community and we want you to know that we appreciate you and we support you right back.”
ACME Meat Market promised to halt future purchases of Valbella products and will donate any existing stock. And Monki Bistro said it will remove all Valbella products from the restaurant.
Canmore Folk Festival said it has returned a donation from Valbella in full.
After taking a day to determine how to respond, Sunterra Market released a statement Wednesday that it will also cease all business relationships with Valbella.
“Some may see the time we took to have these conversations as a concern. Please know this was done solely to consider all those affected by our decisions,” said the market.
“We believe Sunterra’s choice to cut ties with the company will have a significant impact on their 50 team members and their families.”
How did this Woke shit get so deeply embedded in our society? It is because stepping out of line has drastic real life consequences as illustrated here. The consequences are completely out of whack for the real offense/harm done. Do the employee’s at Valbella deserve to have their jobs put in jeopardy because some fired off a poorly worded email? (No, of course not. But those other companies do think that their virtue signalling is more important than the Valbella employee’s livelihoods.)
Apparently the answer is yes. This will continue until enough people say no to the bullying and coercion that some factions of the rainbow community seem to wield. Also, it isn’t helpful that the news media amplifies this sort of hyperbolic sob story that somehow lends credence to the overreaction that started this whole kerfuffle.
So yeah, a terrible email, but does the business deserve to be shut down/lose significant revenue because someone was offended? Probably not, if you value a reasonably tolerant and reasonably free society.
In the fiefdom known as the province of Alberta, the current right-wing King is stepping down. Ed Stelmach for glancing once to often toward the center has been ousted by the more radical elements(?) of Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Party. But really, does it matter? Certainly the fracture between the PC’s (right) and the Wild Rose Party (further right) will allow some electoral fresh air into the next election.
Doubtful at best.
Thanks to an amazing job of jerrymandering the rural/urban ridings and a political climate laced with near terminal apathy, Alberta is in line for yet another Oil pandering, business friendly (read raping the public-trust friendly) conservative premier. Full marks to the CBC for attempting to make people care about the upcoming election, going through the motions has never sounded so exciting.
“Ted Morton’s appeal to supporters of the Wildrose Alliance could lead to split loyalties for the province’s federal Tories The province’s former finance minister, who resigned from cabinet in order to seek the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party, said he plans to bring Wildrose Alliance members back into the Progressive Conservative fold.”
Isn’t that cute! They are arguing who gets to wear the boot that continues to stomp on the face of ordinary Albertans. I mean there is the serious consideration of who is going to run the province for the benefit of the oil conglomerates and business, plus differing influence peddling price structures are in place to ensure the correct business policy becomes Alberta Government Policy.
“There isn’t going to be any chance at all that the Wildrose is simply going to fold into the PC Party,” Smith said in an interview broadcast Saturday on CBC Radio’s The House. “People, myself included, were very hopeful that Ted would be able to lead a movement from within the PC Party to get them back on track. And I think that what we’ve seen is he’s not been effective doing that.
This could spell trouble for federal Tories in the province, some of whom have been quietly supporting Wildrose to the detriment of the provincial PCs. But now that Morton hopes to lead the PC Party, those federal Conservatives may have to pick a side.”
Oh the Drama! Which brand of proto-fascism will make it into the Great Leaders Chair? I can only bitterly contemplate this poisonous choice and wonder when if, ever, the population of Alberta will finally have enough of one party rule.
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
Your opinions…