OTTAWA, Ontario — President Donald Trump took a final shot at Canadian politicians as the country’s voters head to the polls for the federal parliamentary election.
Trump, whose shadow looms over the country as the premier economic and existential threat, wished “good luck” to the “great people of Canada” and took a moment to weigh in on who they should vote for.
“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,” Trump said on Truth Social.
He continued, “No more artificially drawn line from many years ago. Look how beautiful this land mass would be. Free access with NO BORDER. ALL POSITIVES WITH NO NEGATIVES. IT WAS MEANT TO BE! America can no longer subsidize Canada with the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year that we have been spending in the past. It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!”
The appeal is likely to fall on deaf ears as Canadian opinion polls have revealed combatting Trump as the most prominent concern for citizens he placed crippling tariffs on the country.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who once supported Trump’s nationalist agenda and sought to bring a similar character to the Canadian prime minister’s office, rebuked his former ally on Monday.
“President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box,” Poilievre said on social media. “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,” he added.
Prime Minister Mark Carney did not directly reference the latest Trump barb. However, he posted a video on X dripping with anti-American nationalism.
“I know people are anxious right now. The crisis in the United States doesn’t stop at their borders. They can become divided and weak,” Carney said. “But this is Canada, and we decide what happens here. Let’s choose to be united and strong — Canada strong.”
Despite many people accusing Trump of “trolling” Canada with his threats of annexation, the president has maintained that he is being sincere.
“Actually, no, I’m not. I’m really not trolling. Canada is an interesting case,” Trump told Time magazine. “I say the only way this thing that really works is for Canada to become a state.”
BLOC QUEBECOIS WANTS TO FREE QUEBEC FROM ‘ARTIFICIAL COUNTRY’ OF CANADA
In order to wrap up voting at approximately the same time, polling stations are opening and closing in staggered timeframes.
If vote tallying goes smoothly, Canadians will likely know their next leader before midnight.
