President Donald Trump says Canada would “cease to exist” if it weren’t for the United States. Wednesday's comments came just days before Canadians are set to vote in an election dominated by Trump’s remarks on the country’s economy and sovereignty.

Canada’s Pierre Poilievre seemed to be cruising toward victory in the next election. His Conservative Party was polling around 20 percentage points ahead of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals because of growing voter frustration around political scandals and rising housing costs.

Canada is heading into federal elections, where Prime Minister Mark Carney is vying for a chance to continue leading the country, as tensions over trade grow with the US.