Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has secured victory in the Canada’s federal election, marking a remarkable turnaround driven by US President, Donald Trump’s annexation threats and a brewing trade war.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation projected on Tuesday that Carney’s opponent, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, lost his seat in parliament.
Poilievre’s defeat in his Ottawa district capped a swift decline in his political fortunes. Just months ago, he appeared poised to become Canada’s next prime minister and lead the Conservatives back to power after a decade-long absence.
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However, Trump’s trade war with Canada and his suggestion that the country should join the US as the 51st state enraged Canadian voters and turned the election in Carney’s favor.
The Liberals are expected to win more seats in Parliament’s 343-member legislature than the Conservatives, though it remains unclear if they will achieve a majority of 172 seats or need to rely on smaller parties to maintain power.
Elections Canada paused the counting of special ballots cast by Canadians away from their home districts, delaying the final results until later on Tuesday.
In his victory speech, Carney emphasised the importance of national unity in the face of US threats.
“We are over the shock of the American betrayal, but we should never forget the lessons,” Carney declared.
He stated that the long-standing mutually beneficial relationship between Canada and the US had come to an end.
“As I’ve been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country. These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so America can own us. That will never ever happen.
“But we also must recognise the reality that our world has fundamentally changed,” Carney said.
(AP)
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