Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is forcefully denying that Canada would ever become the 51st American state and is demanding U.S. President Donald Trump butt out of the Canadian election.
As Canadians head to the polls on a much-anticipated election day, Trump posted on Truth Social urging Canadians to elect a prime minister who will make Canada the 51st American state, promising a host of benefits if such a deal were made.
“Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America,” said Trump.
Trump reiterated his claim that the United States subsidizes Canada to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars annually and said such spending could only be justified if Canada were annexed.
In a post to X, Poilievre responded to Trump’s message by urging the president to stay out of the election and that Canada would never become the 51st state.
“President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box,” said Poilievre.
“Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state. Today Canadians can vote for change so we can strengthen our country, stand on our own two feet and stand up to America from a position of strength.”
On the campaign trail, Poilievre has consistently said that a Conservative government would stand up to President Trump and his “unjustified” tariffs. However, Poilievre has received criticism from Premier Doug Ford’s campaign manager Kory Tenyecke alleging that he has not been sufficiently anti-Trump.
Polls consistently show that managing Trump and the issue of tariffs is a top priority for voters, along with cost of living and housing concerns.
While Prime Minister Mark Carney had not yet commented on Trump’s message to Canadians, he has since posted a video to X with the caption, “This is Canada — and we decide what happens here.”