Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday dismissed a suggestion by US President-elect Donald Trump that he might use “economic force” to make Canada the 51st US state.

“There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,” he said in a post on X.

“Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner.”

Trump, speaking in Mar-a-Lago, was asked if he was considering using military force to acquire Canada.

“No, economic force,” he responded. “Because Canada and the United States, that would really be something.”

Trump, who has long complained about Canada’s trade surplus with the US, had earlier told reporters the border was an “artificially drawn line.”

Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada, which sends 75pc of all goods and services exports south of the border.

Earlier on Tuesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Trump’s comments “show a complete lack of understanding of what makes Canada a strong country … We will never back down in the face of threats.”

Trudeau announced on Monday that he would step down in the coming months, bowing to pressure from lawmakers alarmed by his Liberal Party’s unpopularity. The next election must be held by Oct. 20 and polls predict a crushing win for the official opposition Conservatives.

“Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country,” Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said in a post on X.