In response to Trump’s trolling, Ontario’s premier says Canada would buy Alaska and Minnesota

Minnesota has now found itself in the crossfire of some international trolling among North American government officials.

President-elect Donald Trump has teased Canada for the past month, making comments about turning the country into America’s 51st state, imposing tariffs on its products and using “economic force” to have it join the United States.

That had Ontario Premier Doug Ford thinking about his own territorial gains.

While speaking to a reporter Monday, Ford joked: “… to the president, I’ll make him a counteroffer. How about if we buy Alaska and we’ll throw in Minnesota and Minneapolis at the same time?”

Can’t blame the guy for thinking about the North Star State. It shares a 547-mile border with Canada, most of it with Ontario. The accents are similar, and Minnesota and Minneapolis are often ranked among the best places to live.

Some Redditors think it’s a neat idea. A few like the sound of free Canadian health care.

“It’s nice to be fought over,” one wrote.

Fortunately — or unfortunately — Ford knows Canada and Minnesota aren’t going anywhere.

“It’s not realistic,” he said. “I know [Trump] likes making these comments and he likes joking around. I take that seriously. He may be joking, but under my watch that will never, ever happen.”