Mark Carney’s Liberal Party is projected to win Canada’s federal election, according to national broadcaster CBC, securing a critical victory amid heightened tensions with the United States under President Donald Trump.
The outcome cements Carney’s leadership at a pivotal time, as Canada confronts repeated threats from Trump, including provocative suggestions of annexation and a tariff regime that has strained the relationship between the longtime allies.
The Liberals had faced a real risk of losing power for the first time in a decade, but Carney’s campaign successfully shored up voter support by positioning the party as a bulwark against U.S. aggression. His main challenger, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, offered a strong challenge, but ultimately fell short, according to early projections.
It remained unclear Monday night whether the Liberals would secure the 172 seats needed to form a majority government. CBC noted that the final seat count could take additional days to finalize.
Carney, a 60-year-old former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, entered electoral politics for the first time this year, representing a suburban Ottawa district. Though a political newcomer, he was previously a key adviser to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, particularly on Canada’s economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just days after taking office as prime minister earlier this month, Carney called a snap election for April 28, seeking a fresh mandate to confront emerging challenges. Early voting set a new record, with Elections Canada estimating more than 7 million Canadians cast ballots ahead of election day.
Carney now faces the daunting task of steering Canada through a period of worsening U.S.-Canada relations. His government has proposed a $2 billion plan to shield Canada’s auto industry and bolster competitiveness in response to Trump’s tariffs, while the Conservatives had pledged a temporary $3 billion credit fund to aid affected businesses.
President Trump, for his part, dismissed the Canadian election, saying the result “didn’t matter to him at all.” Both Carney and Poilievre firmly rejected Trump’s inflammatory “51st state” rhetoric.
As the final seat tallies are confirmed, Carney appears set to lead a Liberal government determined to protect Canada’s sovereignty and economic interests in an increasingly volatile North American political landscape.
