Canada’s Liberals Set to Secure Election Victory Amid Tensions with Trump

Canada’s Liberal Party, headed by Prime Minister Mark Carney, is projected to win the federal election, according to Canadian news outlets, following a contentious campaign shaped by aggressive rhetoric and U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign.

Both CTV and CBC news outlets forecast that the Liberals would secure enough parliamentary seats to form a government for the fourth time in a row. However, with ballot counting still underway, CBC News noted it remains unclear whether the Liberals will achieve a majority, requiring at least 172 seats,or continue as a minority government.

Carney, 60, a former central bank chief, took the Liberal helm in a landslide leadership race last month after Justin Trudeau’s resignation. He has made opposing Trump’s annexation threats and defending Canadian sovereignty the centerpiece of his campaign.

“I reject any attempts to weaken Canada, to wear us down, to break us so that America can own us,” Carney said to reporters in late March, responding to the threat of escalated trade tariffs. “We are masters in our own home.”

Initially, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, an experienced parliamentarian, was favored to win after Trudeau’s departure, amid dire public opinion polls, skyrocketing living costs, and cabinet infighting.

Yet Trump’s imposition of harsh tariffs and his suggestions regarding Canada’s sovereignty shifted the contest dramatically, framing the election as a de facto referendum on the U.S. president.

Despite never holding elected office before, Carney’s extensive background in finance includes guiding Canada through the 2008 financial crisis and helping Britain manage Brexit as governor of the Bank of England; an experience he says foreshadows the turmoil America could face due to tariffs.