Ottawa/IBNS: Canada's foreign affairs minister Melanie Joly has slammed US president-elect Donald Trump's repeated offers for a merger of the two countries saying Ottawa will not back down" due to threats.

After Justin Trudeau resigned as the Canadian prime minister and Liberal Party leader, Trump repeated his offer to Canada to become the 51st state of the US.

Reacting to it, Joly posted on X, "President-elect Trump’s comments show a complete lack of understanding of what makes Canada a strong country. Our economy is strong. Our people are strong. We will never back down in the face of threats."

Trudeau on Monday stepped down amid his growing unpopularity and dissent within the outfit he was serving.

In a response to Trudeau's resignation, Trump posted on Truth Social, "Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned.

"If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!"

Late last year, Trump had made a similar proposal to Canada saying he would drop taxes for the Canadians in case of a merger.

Trump had said in a Truth Social, "I just left Wayne Gretzky, ‘The Great One’ as he is known in Ice Hockey circles." "I said, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for Prime Minister of Canada, soon to be known as the Governor of Canada – You would win easily, you wouldn’t even have to campaign.’”

Trump had earlier mocked Trudeau calling him the Governor of Canada after the president-elect registered a landslide win in the US presidential elections.