Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took part in a virtual meeting of the Canada-U.S. relations cabinet committee on Friday, as people inside and outside the Liberal caucus call for him to resign as leader.

The committee, which was reinstated after Donald Trump was elected in November, is gathering as his Jan. 20 inauguration quickly approaches.

Trump promised to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports unless both countries meet his demand to beef up security at the American border.

He鈥檚 also been taunting Trudeau on social media, suggesting Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and calling Trudeau its governor, while arguing that the U.S. subsidizes Canada through its trade relationship.

A spokesperson from the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office said Trudeau is not an official member of the U.S.-Canada relations committee, but his attendance underscores the importance of the committee鈥檚 work in protecting Canadian interests.

Its membership and leadership were shuffled after the cabinet shuffle that followed Chrystia Freeland鈥檚 resignation from cabinet. Public Safety Minister David McGuinty is now a member of the committee, with Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc replacing Freeland as chair.

Trudeau and LeBlanc travelled to Florida on Nov. 30 to meet with Trump, and several top cabinet ministers met with the Trump team last Friday.

On Friday morning, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May took aim at the incoming Trump administration, emphasizing that Canada will never become the 51st state.

鈥淗onestly, President Trump, get used to it,鈥� May said at a press conference that she said she hoped would be viewed as antagonistic to the Trump administration.

鈥淲e love our country. And it鈥檚 a country. It鈥檚 a nation. And we do not aspire to be (the) 51st state. So let鈥檚 not hear it anymore. If it was a joke, it was never funny, and it ends now.鈥�

May said while she doubts her comments will be seen by Trump, she thinks many Canadians want to hear the country鈥檚 leaders be more explicit in dismission the ongoing narrative of Canada joining the United States.

May referenced a newspaper column earlier this week by former Liberal MP Clifford Lincoln as such an example.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also dismissed the notion before the holidays.

On Friday afternoon, Trudeau went to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and signed a book of condolences for former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, who died at the age of 100 on Dec. 29. He did not speak to media at the event and has no other public events on his itinerary for Friday.

Trudeau continues to face pressure to step down as Liberal leader after Freeland鈥檚 decision to quit as finance minister last month.

Before the holiday break, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told The Canadian Press that Trudeau was taking time to reflect on his future.

Trudeau himself has not spoken about Freeland鈥檚 resignation or his future since Dec. 16. His last public statement was on Dec. 20 following a meeting of his recently shuffled cabinet, when he talked about the U.S. tariff threat.

The questions about his leadership of the party come as opposition parties are moving to oust the Liberal government from power altogether.

The Conservatives plan to bring forward a non-confidence motion at a House of Commons committee next week, which could potentially trigger an election if it succeeds in a vote in the House. That vote could come as early as Jan. 30.

Both the Bloc Qu茅b茅cois and NDP have said they are in favour of bringing down the minority Liberal government.

Julien Newman, a former NDP staffer under leader Tom Mulcair, is circulating a petition among NDP supporters calling for Singh to vote down the government before Feb. 25, the day Singh qualifies for his MP pension. The Conservatives have been attacking the NDP for supporting the Liberals, accusing Singh of wanting to wait until he鈥檚 pension-eligible before triggering an election.

Newman said his petition has more than 1,000 signatures so far and he鈥檚 looking for an MP to present it in the House of Commons.

On Dec. 20, Singh said the NDP would bring forward a non-confidence motion at its earliest opportunity no matter who leads the Liberal party.

However, when May was asked Friday if she thinks an election should be called as soon as possible to get a new mandate to deal with the incoming Trump administration, she said she doesn鈥檛 think Canadians should go to the polls so soon.

鈥淲hat happens with an election is that there鈥檚 only a caretaker role for whatever government is in place, during the time that the Trump White House is forming,鈥� May said.

鈥淒o we function best as a country in dealing with a newly inaugurated President Trump if we鈥檙e in the midst of an election? Probably not.鈥�