Canada's Conservative leader tells Trump to 'stay out of our election'

Pierre Poilievre, leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, told President Trump to “stay out of our election” on Monday, as voters headed to the polls to determine the future of Canadian governance.

“President Trump, stay out of our election,” Poilievre wrote on the social platform X. “The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box.”

The Conservative leader’s statement comes after Trump, in a Truth Social post on Monday, reiterated his ambitions to make the northern neighbor the 51st U.S. state and urged Canadians to “elect the man who has the strength and wisdom” to make that happen.

“Good luck to the Great people of Canada. 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 wrote.

“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!” Trump continued.

Both Poilievre and Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Liberal Party candidate, have pledged to stand up to Trump and have resisted calls to make Canada the 51st state of America.

Trump has not endorsed either candidate in the race, but his presence has loomed large amid new tariffs and rhetoric about making Canada part of the U.S.

But similarities between Poilievre’s and Trump’s populist viewpoints have made Poilievre vulnerable to attacks from Liberals, including Carney, who has previously slammed Poilievre as “a person who worships at the altar of Donald Trump.”

But Poilievre, in standing up to Trump, again tried to undermine that claim. He reiterated his opposition to Trump’s efforts to make Canada part of America.

“Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state,” Poilievre wrote in his Monday statement.

“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.