Pierre Poilievre, a conservative MP running to be Canada's prime minister, fired back at U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about the country's election.
In a Monday post on his Truth Social platform, Trump encouraged Canadians to vote for him.
"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.
"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!" he continued.
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An hour later, Poilievre addressed the president with a post on X.
"President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box," the Canadian candidate insisted. "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.