U.S. President Donald Trump says the Conservatives were performing well in the polls in Canada before he “got involved,” and he challenged the notion the country would vote Democrat if it were to become the 51st state.
“Just a little while ago, before I got involved and totally changed the election … the Conservative was leading against, I call him Governor Trudeau. The Conservative was leading by 35 points,” Trump told reporters in the White House on March 21.
Trump’s comment was prompted by a reporter’s question on whether he was concerned that Canada joining the United States would create a “very blue state,” potentially tipping the balance of national elections in favour of the Democrats.
The Republican president said he did not find the possibility concerning and reiterated that the border between Canada and the United States is an “artificial line,” proposing that the two countries would look better merged together. Canadian leaders from all political parties have strongly rejected the idea, saying Canada’s sovereignty isn’t negotiable.
Trump once again voiced his grievances with Canada, saying the U.S. “subsidizes” the country by running a trade deficit. He also said Canada does not spend enough on military defence, and that the country’s trade negotiators have been “very nasty.” Canadian leaders, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, say the trade deficit is because Alberta is selling oil to the United States at a discount, and with oil excluded, the United States in fact enjoys a trade surplus with Canada.
Trump also touched on his reciprocal tariffs slated for April 2, saying it would be “liberation day for America” after decades of being “ripped off by every country in the world.” The United States plans to place specific tariff rates on each country on that date, and then give them the opportunity to avoid levies by either lowering their tariffs or addressing the administration’s concerns.
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The U.S. president said his decision to impose tariffs has already led many automotive companies that intended to establish operations in Canada and Mexico to to instead set up production in the United States.
Changing Polls
The Conservative Party had been leading the Liberals in the polls for more than a year. An Angus Reid survey from December 2024 showed the Tories with 45 percent support compared to the Grits at 16 percent.
But there’s been a surge in support for the Liberals in the new year with the resignation of Justin Trudeau as prime minister, and amid Trump’s tariff threats.
A Nanos poll from March 18 says the Conservatives have the support of 35 percent of Canadians, compared to the Liberals at 34 percent and New Democrats at 16 percent. An Angus Reid survey from March 17, however, shows the Grits at 42 percent support, the Tories at 37 percent, and the NDP at 7 percent.
Trump was asked during a March 17 Fox News interview about the Liberals’ rise in the polls in recent weeks. The president said he did not care who wins the next election in Canada, but added that he would “rather deal with a Liberal than a Conservative.”
Trump also said that Poilievre was “stupidly no friend of mine” and that the Tory leader had said “negative things” about him.
“I think it’s easier to deal actually, with a Liberal, and maybe they’re going to win, but I don’t really care. It doesn’t matter to me at all,” he said.
In response to Trump’s comments, Poilievre said on March 19 that he was indeed a “tough guy to deal with” and would “always put Canada first.”
