Mark Carney and the Liberal Party have pulled off an unexpected triumph in Canada’s federal election — a win that seems to have been bolstered by none other than Donald Trump.
Since his return to the White House in January, Trump’s repeated jabs at Canada — including mocking suggestions that it become America’s 51st state — coincided with a sharp turnaround in the Liberals’ electoral prospects.
Just months ago, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party appeared firmly in command, with polls showing them enjoying a strong lead. Discontent over the economy and fatigue after a decade of Liberal rule under Justin Trudeau had seemed to set the stage for a Conservative landslide.
Globally, the past year has been brutal for sitting governments, with parties of all stripes losing power in countries like the US, UK, Japan, Germany, France, and India.
However, Canada bucked the trend. The Liberals, facing mounting pressure, pushed Trudeau aside and turned to a political outsider — former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney — to lead them into the election.
Carney’s campaign focused heavily on portraying Trump as a serious threat to Canada’s economy and even its sovereignty — a message that resonated with voters.
Despite Trump’s comments last month that he would “prefer a Liberal prime minister” — quickly followed by a claim that he didn’t care who won — no one expects the Liberals to offer any thanks. Nor is Trump likely to ease off his combative rhetoric. More jabs at Canada’s independence, threats of trade wars, and undermining long-standing bilateral agreements seem likely.
The irony is that Trump’s aggressive stance may have cost him a more ideologically aligned government to the north. While Poilievre is no Trump clone, they share key priorities: reducing government size, cutting taxes, supporting fossil fuels, and pushing back against progressive cultural movements.
A Conservative win in Canada would have been hailed by Trump’s supporters as proof of a global surge for right-wing, anti-elite, and populist politics. Instead, Canada’s choice of Carney signals continued divergence between Washington and Ottawa.
Signs already suggest that Canada will seek closer ties with Europe rather than rely on Trump’s America — a move unlikely to sit well with the US president.
Carney has pledged to immediately engage in trade talks with Washington to try to avert US tariffs on Canadian auto exports, set to begin on May 3. With Canada’s economy deeply intertwined with US trade, Carney — an economist and seasoned central banker — has vowed to do everything possible to prevent a recession.
Meanwhile, Trump couldn’t resist weighing in again as Canadians voted, calling the US-Canada border “artificial” and claiming Canada would be better off as a “cherished” American state.
Carney’s rapid rise to power comes at a pivotal moment for Canada, as it grapples with a far more aggressive US neighbor. While world leaders are still figuring out how to handle Trump’s second term, few will face as daunting a challenge as Mark Carney.
REF: BBC
