New York [US], April 29: Canadians were voting on Monday in a snap election pitting Prime Minister Mark Carney's ruling Liberals against the opposition Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, in a vote affected by comments from Canada's southern neighbour.
US President Donald Trump on Monday repeated his calls for Canada to become the "cherished 51st. State of the United States," a suggestion rejected by leading Canadian politicians and voters alike. Trump's tariffs against Canada, part of his widesweeping tariff policy, irked lawmakers and residents alike and has been seen as an act of bullying against a smaller, weaker neighbour who has long stood with the US.
Carney, a former central banker, gained momentum in recent weeks, buoyed by Trump's combative trade stance and threats of annexation. Carney has positioned himself as a stabilizing figure and proponent of diversifying trade ties with Europe and Asia to reduce reliance on the United States.
Poilievre, meanwhile, has campaigned on a platform of tax cuts and reduced government spending.
Trump said with Canada as the 51st state, there would be "no more artificially drawn line from many years ago. Look how beautiful this land mass would be. Free access with NO BORDER," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Source: Qatar Tribune