Two months ago, the idea that the United States posed a military threat to Canada was unthinkable. Today, discussions about a potential American annexation attempt are dominating Canadian media headlines and are a primary issue of concern among the country’s government officials.

How did we get here? And should Canadians be worried?

While the Donald Trump administration’s rhetoric and behaviour toward Canada is disturbing, the prospect of American military aggression remains remote. Military, economic and geopolitical realities ensure any attack on Canada would be a self-defeating blow.

Canada and the U.S. have enjoyed one of the most peaceful bilateral relationships in modern history, marked by deep economic integration, extensive cultural ties and close military co-operation.

Yet, in an extraordinary statement earlier this month before he was replaced as prime minister by Mark Carney, Justin Trudeau asserted that Trump was pursuing a strategy designed to collapse the Canadian economy to pave the way for annexation.

Since his re-election, Trump has demonstrated a routine disregard for Canadian sovereignty, with repeated references to Canada as the “51st state” and to Trudeau as its “governor.”

He has referred to the Canada-U.S.........

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