OTTAWA - As Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with newly elected French President Francois Hollande Thursday, French citizens in Canada are gearing up for the second round of an election the Harper government would rather not expect to occur.

More than 65,000 French living in Canada are eligible for a vote on June 16 in the second and final round of an unprecedented election to choose a North American representative in France's National Assembly.

Over 14,600 of them already voted on June 2 to narrow a list of 18 candidates down to two: Socialist Corinne Narassiguin, a 37-year-old New York banker, and former French legislator Frederic Lefebvre, 48, of the center-right UMP.

The winner of the runoff will serve as the deputy of one of 11 international constituencies mapped out by French in 2010.

However, the Canadian government doesn't want the election to take place on its soil.

Last September, Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade issued a statement emphasizing that the federal government would "refuse requests by foreign states to include Canada in their respective extraterritorial electoral constituencies," and would  "not allow foreign governments to conduct election campaigns in Canada or establish foreign political parties and movements in Canada."

Foreign citizens living in Canada could either vote in their country's election via absentee ballot or, with Canada's consent, at a balloting station within a recognized diplomatic mission or consular post.

The Canadian government's directive did not stop Tunisia from proceeding with a September 2011 election that included a contest for a riding encompassing Canada. "No one should represent Canada - or a part of Canada - as a constituency in a foreign elected assembly," said Baird following the Tunisian vote, noting it was "a matter of Canadian sovereignty".

Nor has Canada's stance stopped French parliamentary candidates from campaigning in Canada, albeit quietly without much media attention.

French citizens have also been able to cast their ballots by mail through a proxy in France and - for the first time - using the Internet.

Canada's main opposition leader Thomas Mulcair, who holds dual citizenship of Canada and France, has opted not to vote.

Out of 191 nations with French electors, Canada is the only country that has objected to the international constituency vote.