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.

During the phone call last month between Donald Trump and Mark Carney, the U.S. president put the idea of making Canada the 51st U.S. state back on the table, contrary to what the prime minister himself publicly stated later,