Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has emerged victorious in the national elections, securing a fourth consecutive term. Al Jeezera reported that this notable comeback was largely influenced by a series of unprecedented attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump, which shifted public sentiment.
The election results were determined following a high-stakes snap election, reportedly marked by one central concern: which leader could better navigate the challenges posed by Trump, who had enacted tariffs and made threats regarding Canadian territory.
According to the article, after polls closed on Monday, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) projected that the Liberal Party would maintain a majority in the House of Commons, allowing them to continue governing. Despite Pierre Poilievre, the opposition Conservative leader, maintaining steady approval ratings throughout 2024, the Liberals witnessed an unexpected surge in support starting in February.
This shift, says the article, can be attributed to Trump’s criticisms of Canada.
Claiming that Canada had failed to fulfill its responsibilities in curbing irregular migration and drug trafficking to the United States, Trump enacted a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods and a 10 percent tariff on Canadian energy resources.
The US president further hinted at the possibility of annexing Canada, stating, “I think Canada would be much better off being a 51st state,” during an interview with Fox News in February.
“The most important factor in Canadian politics right now doesn’t live in Canada – it’s Donald Trump,” remarked Daniel Beland, a professor at McGill University in Montreal and director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, in an interview with Al Jazeera in February.
Other concerns were the rising prices of groceries and housing. The cost of living crisis in Canada worsened throughout Justin Trudeau’s time as Prime Minister, largely due to inflation linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trudeau held the position of prime minister from 2015 until his resignation on March 9 of this year, after enduring increasing pressure for several months to step down.
“In Canadian polling history, at least in this century, it is the first time I’ve ever seen this,” noted Philippe J Fournier, an analyst and creator of the electoral projection site 338Canada.
He remarked: “To come back from a 25-point deficit is very unheard of, especially for a government that’s been in power for almost a decade.”