Liberals are expected to win 343 seats in Congress, rather than conservatives, although it is unclear whether they will win a majority, which will allow them to pass legislation without help.
The liberals looked like they had been a crushing defeat until the U.S. president began attacking Canada’s economy and threatening its sovereignty, indicating that it should be the 51st state. Trump’s actions have angered Canadians and sparked a surge in nationalism, which helped liberals flip the election narrative and earned the power to win the fourth straight win.
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party, hopes to make the election a referendum for former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and his popularity declines at the end of his decade as food and housing prices rise.
But Trump was attacked, Trudeau resigned, and two-time central banker Carney became Liberal Party leader and prime minister.
Trump even showed on Election Day that he was actually on the ballot and repeated Canada should be the 51st state, a claim that Canadians are deeply insulting to Canadians. He also wrongly claimed that the United States subsidized Canada, writing: “Unless Canada is a state, it doesn’t make sense!”
Poilievre has been criticized for not taking a firmer stance against Trump, and his post responded.
“President Trump, stay away from our elections. The only person who decides the future of Canada is Canadians on the ballot box,” he posted hours before the polls. “Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent, and we will never be the 51st state.”
Liberals look like they are going to fail before Trump wins his second term and begins threatening Canada’s economy and sovereignty. But Trump’s atrocities have angered many Canadians, leading many to cancel their holidays in the United States, refuse to buy American goods, and even possibly vote early. A record 7.3 million Canadians voted before Election Day.
The Trump attack also put Poilievre and the opposition Conservatives within defense and caused a surge in nationalism, helping liberals flip the election narrative.
Carney recently said: “Americans want to break us so they have us.” He believes he thinks the election shares. “These are not just words. That’s risky.”
Election Day was due to the consequences of the country’s deadly weekend attack at the Vancouver Street Fair, which led to the campaign lasting for several hours. Police ruled out terrorism and said the suspect was a local and had a history of mental health problems.
Trump became the main problem for Poilievre, and his wife joined hands to vote in the area of its capital, Ottawa. He begged voters: “Go out and vote for change.”
Sisters Laiqa and Mahira Shoaib said they did it, Laiqa, a 27-year-old health care worker who voted for the progressive New Democrats while 25-year-old bank worker Mahira supports the Conservatives.
Sisters who immigrated from Pakistan a decade ago said the economy deteriorated and job opportunities dried up under free rule.
After the sisters voted at a community center in Mississauga, a Toronto suburb, Mahira Shoaib said she believes Poilievre is best able to improve Canada’s financial situation.
“He is business-conscious, and that’s what we need right now,” she said.
Poilievre’s similarities with the over-the-top U.S. president may have cost him the price after Trump became the central issue of the election.
Toronto resident Reid Warren said he voted for liberals because poilievre “sounds like a mini Trump to me.” He said Trump’s tariffs were worrying.
“You know, all the shadows Canadians throw from the United States are great, but there is certainly some turmoil, that’s for sure,” he said.
“He called for the same dissatisfaction,” Canadian historian Robert Bothwell said of the conservative leader. “Like Trump stands there and says, ‘I’m your retribution.'”
“The liberals should pay him,” Boswell added, referring to the president of the United States. “Trump’s speech is not good for conservatives.”
Free trade with the United States has been a current issue since 1988, and foreign policy has not ruled the Canadian election as much.
The big challenge is waiting for liberal Carney and the liberals to take huge obstacles in winning a fourth straight win, but their task is arduous.
In addition to the full tariffs on Canadian goods, Canada has been dealing with the crisis of cost of living for some time. More than 75% of exports are exported to the United States, so Trump’s tariff threat and his desire to make North American automakers provide South to Canadian production could seriously damage Canada’s economy.
