Canadians choose Carney to take on Trump in stunning election victory

Political newcomer Mark Carney has pulled off a remarkable election victory and secured a rare fourth term for his centre-left Liberal Party after convincing Canadians he is the right person to take on US President Donald Trump in the fight for Canada’s economic welfare and territorial integrity.

National broadcaster CBC called the election for Carney at about 10.10pm Toronto time on Monday (12.10pm Tuesday AEST), though it was not yet projecting whether the Liberals would form a majority government.

Prime Minister Mark Carney won the election but it was not yet clear whether he would be able to form majority government.Credit: AP

Claiming victory and vowing to govern for all Canadians, Carney said the coming days would be difficult and require sacrifice. He foreshadowed greater co-operation with Europe, Asia and countries other than the US.

“When I sit down with President Trump, it will be to discuss the future economic and security relationship between two sovereign nations,” he said. “It will be with our full knowledge that we have many, many other options than the United States to build prosperity for all Canadians.”

Carney went on: “We are over the shock of the American betrayal, but we should never forget the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves, and above all, we have to take care of each other.”

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre conceded defeat just before 1am, telling the party faithful he would learn the lessons for next time, and indicating he intended to stay on as leader. “We didn’t quite get over the finish line,” he said. “We know that change is needed, but change is hard to come by.”

Poilievre noted the Conservatives achieved their best vote share since 1988, and said Canadians had opted for a “razor-thin minority [Liberal] government” which they would hold to account. Poilievre was also behind in his own seat.

The Liberal win cemented a dramatic turnaround since December, when the Conservatives were headed for a certain victory. But former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s decision in January to stand down amid poor approval ratings, as well as Trump’s tariffs and threats to Canada’s sovereignty, transformed the dynamic and turned the election into a veritable referendum on who was best placed to handle Trump.

“We were dead and buried in December. Now we are going to form a government,” David Lametti, a former Liberal justice minister, told broadcaster CTV.

Chrystia Freeland, whose resignation as deputy prime minister last year helped to force Trudeau out, told CBC: “Canadians understood that the ballot question is who can fight for Canada, who can stand up to Donald Trump, and the answer is Mark Carney.”

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida Poilievre arrive on stage at his campaign headquarters on election night.Credit: AP

A former central bank governor who has never held a seat in parliament, Carney won the Liberals’ leadership contest, was sworn in as prime minister and quickly called an election.

He made Trump a centrepiece of his campaign, and was aided by the president regularly repeating his desire to make Canada the 51st US state throughout the election. “The Americans want to break us so they can own us,” Carney said. “Those aren’t just words. That’s what’s at risk.”

On polling day, Trump continued his efforts with a facetious post suggesting he was on the ballot and calling on Canadians to elect the man who would incorporate Canada into the US. “It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!” Trump wrote.

Poilievre, who has led the official opposition since 2022 and was criticised for not taking a firmer stance against Trump, responded with a post of his own.

“President Trump, stay out of our election,” he wrote. “The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box.” He said Canada would never be the 51st state.

As votes were counted on Monday night, it became clear Poilievre’s Conservatives had performed well relative to previous elections, but a collapse in support for minor parties, especially the progressive New Democratic Party, was helping the Liberals hold on to power.

Shortly before midnight local time, the Liberals’ share of the national vote stood at 42.6 per cent, while the Conservatives were on 41.7 per cent. The NDP was on track to lose half its 24 seats, including that of leader Jagmeet Singh. Bloc Quebecois, a Quebec nationalist party and the third-largest group in parliament, was also poised to lose several seats.

Trump’s truculence has infuriated many Canadians, leading many to cancel American vacations, refuse to buy American goods and possibly even vote early. A record 7.3 million Canadians cast ballots before election day.

The US president’s attacks also put Poilievre and the opposition Conservative Party on the defensive and led to a surge in nationalism that helped the Liberals flip the election narrative.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, casts his vote in Ottawa on Monday.Credit: AP

Election day came as the country grappled with the fallout from a deadly weekend attack at a Vancouver street fair that led to the suspension of campaigning for several hours. Police ruled out terrorism and said the suspect was a local man with a history of mental health issues.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy, like Australia, with King Charles III serving as ceremonial head of state. The country’s electoral system is also modelled after the British system.

The House of Commons has been expanded this election to 343 federal electoral districts, also known as a constituency or a riding. The member is elected on a “first-past-the-post” system, not preferential voting.

The leader of the party that wins a majority of seats in the House of Commons will form a new government and serve as prime minister. If no party wins a majority, a party – usually the one with the most seats – can form a minority government but must rely on support from some opposition members. In rare cases, two or more parties might reach a formal agreement to form a coalition government together.

What next?

Canada has been dealing with a cost-of-living crisis for some time. Trump’s threat to impose sweeping tariffs and his desire to get North American automakers to move Canada’s production south could severely damage the Canadian economy.

Both Carney and Poilievre said that if elected, they would accelerate renegotiations of a free trade deal between Canada and the US to end the uncertainty hurting both of their economies.

Carney has notable experience navigating economic crises after running Canada’s central bank and later becoming the first non-UK citizen to run the Bank of England.

With AP

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