Canada’s governing Liberal Party has won national elections dominated by United States President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threats.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, a career economist and banker who cast himself as a champion for Canada in the face of Trump’s threats, led the Liberals to a fourth consecutive term on Monday, a stunning turnaround for a party that until recently was on track for a crushing defeat at the hands of the Conservative Party.
Carney, who had never held office before taking the top job in March, cast the outcome as an opportunity to “stand up for Canada” and “build Canada strong”.
“The coming days and months will be challenging and they will call for some sacrifices but we will share those sacrifices by supporting our workers and our businesses,” Carney said in a victory speech in which he called on Canadians to never forget the lessons of the “American betrayal”.
Although Carney’s Liberals won the most seats in the 343-member House of Commons, it is unclear if he will be able to form a majority government or need to rely on the support of a smaller party.
With the votes still being counted late on Monday, the Liberals were on course to win at least 165 seats, with the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, on track to take at least 147, according to projections by national broadcaster CBC.
The Liberals last won a parliamentary majority in 2015 and had relied on the support of the left-leaning New Democratic Party to pass legislation after narrowly winning the 2021 election with 160 seats.
The election result marks a stunning turnaround for the centre-left party, which trailed the Conservatives by more than 20 points in polls as recently as January.
While Poilievre, 45, had hoped to capitalise on the widespread unpopularity of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom voters blamed for rising living costs and record levels of immigration, Trump’s return to the White House prompted a surge in patriotic sentiment in Canada and galvanised voters around the incumbent party.
After leading the race for more than two years, the Conservatives’ advantage quickly evaporated when Carney replaced Trudeau as the person tasked with navigating the escalating tensions between Ottawa and Washington.
By the time election day came around, the Liberals were polling as clear favourites.
“We will always put Canada first,” Poilievre said in a concession speech to supporters, adding that his party would work with the government on the “common goal of defending Canada’s interests” and “getting a new trade deal that puts these tariffs behind us while protecting our sovereignty”.
