Canada holds election with focus on countering Trump’s threats

According to AFP, it initially appeared that Canada’s Labour Party, led by new Prime Minister Mark Carney, could easily lose to the Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre, until Trump’s verbal attacks on Canada triggered a sudden shift in polling predictions.

Carney, Canada’s 60-year-old Prime Minister, has no prior elected office experience. Before succeeding former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he served as the governor of the central banks of Canada and England and had a lucrative career in investment banking.

Carney argues that his global financial expertise prepares him to respond to Trump’s tariffs. He has also promised to revitalize domestic trade in Canada and expand the country’s economic opportunities abroad to reduce reliance on the United States, which he deems no longer reliable.

Throughout his campaign, Canada’s Prime Minister repeatedly warned that the United States under Trump “wants to break us to own us.”

Poilievre, his 45-year-old rival and career politician, has focused on domestic concerns, particularly the cost-of-living crisis that made Trudeau deeply unpopular by the end of his decade in power.

The Conservative leader argues that Carney represents a continuation of what he calls a “lost Liberal decade” and claims that only a new Conservative government can address issues like crime, housing shortages, and other priorities beyond Trump.

Poilievre is also critical of Trump but emphasizes that a decade of weak Liberal governance has left Canada vulnerable to a newly hostile America.

Recent polls indicate a close race, with Carney holding a slight lead. Polls also suggest that Canadian voters view the former banker as the best candidate to confront Trump.

A historic turnaround in Canada

AFP reported that a Liberal victory would mark one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Canadian political history.

Following Trudeau’s resignation announcement on January 6, the Conservatives led the Liberals by over 20 points in most polls, positioning Poilievre as the likely next prime minister.

However, Carney’s replacement of Trudeau, combined with widespread discontent with Trump, transformed the race.

On Sunday, CBC’s poll aggregation reported national support for the Liberals at 42.8% and for the Conservatives at 38.8%.

In today’s election, approximately 29 million of Canada’s roughly 41 million population are eligible to vote.

In this vast G7 country, spanning six time zones, voting begins at 8:30 AM local time on Monday in the eastern provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Canadians will elect 343 members of Parliament in today’s general election. A minimum of 172 seats is required for a majority. The Liberals secured a majority in 2015 but have governed with a minority since 2019.