Canadian businessman and political analyst Kevin O'Leary says he will begin negotiations with President-elect Donald Trump to create an economic union between Canada and the United States.
His comments come amid increasing tension between Trump and the US' neighbours to the north.
"There are 41 million Canadians, basically the population of California, sitting on the world's largest amount of all resources, including the most important, energy and water," O'Leary said during a broadcast.
The backdrop for O'Leary's comments is Canada's political and economic decline, say analysts.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has presided over vast increases to Canada's national debt, soaring poverty, a falling dollar and declining productivity, refuses calls from all political parties to step down.
Trudeau was recently ridiculed by Trump, who says Canada should join the US and Trudeau could become "governor" of a 51st state.
"The problem is the government is collapsing in Canada right now," O'Leary argued. "Nobody wants Trudeau to negotiate this deal. I don't want him doing it for me. So, I'm going to go to Mar-A-Lago."
Average incomes in Canada are now on par with the poorest US states, Mississippi and Louisiana. Ontario's per capital GDP is on par with Alabama.
"Canadians, over the holidays, the last two days, have been talking about this," O'Leary continued, noting the US and Canada could share an EU-type passport and common currency. "Obviously, there are a lot of issues, more details of what could be the beginning of an economic union."
"Think about the power of combining two economies — erasing the border between Canada and the United States and putting all that resource up to the northern borders where China and Russia are knocking on the door," he added. "So secure that, give a common currency, figure out taxes across the board. I like this idea and at least half of the Canadians are interested."