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Watch: Moment Liberal supporters cheer projected Canadian election win
Mark Carney and the Liberal Party have achieved a notable victory in the recent Canadian election, a win that some attribute to the influence of Donald Trump.
Since Trump resumed office in January, his relentless critiques of Canada and provocations suggesting it should become the 51st US state seem to have rallied Canadian voters around the centre-left party.
Carney’s remarks during his victory speech underscored this sentiment. He cautioned against the United States’ intentions regarding Canadian land and resources, affirming, “President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never ever happen.”
Prior to Trump’s return to power, the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, appeared to hold a significant lead in public opinion polls, buoyed by dissatisfaction with the Canadian economy and a decade of Liberal governance under Justin Trudeau.
Globally, the past year has seen many incumbent governments struggling, with losses being observed in various countries such as the US, UK, Germany, and Japan.
However, the Canadian election marked a deviation from this trend, resulting in Trudeau’s resignation and the selection of Carney, a political outsider and former Bank of England chief, as the new leader of the Liberals.
Carney campaigned vigorously against what the Liberal Party characterized as the genuine danger that Trump posed not only to their economy but also to Canada’s national sovereignty.
Even though Trump’s attitude towards Carney seems less hostile than it was towards Trudeau, their political and policy frameworks are likely to continue diverging.
Canada appears to be shifting its focus toward Europe for reliable partnerships, a move that may not sit well with the American leader.
In anticipation of potential US tariffs on Canadian auto exports set to take effect on May 3, Carney has expressed intent to initiate new trade discussions with Trump.
Given that the Canadian economy heavily relies on US exports, the risk of an escalating trade war looms large, with Carney—an economist and experienced central banker—committed to preventing the country from slipping into recession.
As voters were participating in the election, Trump reinserted himself into Canadian politics, labeling the US-Canadian border as “artificially drawn” and proposing that Canada would fare better as a part of the United States.
Carney’s rapid rise to political prominence coincides with a significant challenge posed by the US. In navigating Trump’s second term, leaders worldwide are grappling with their strategies, but few face such a direct trial.
It is unlikely that Canadian Liberals will express gratitude toward Trump, who has maintained his contentious rhetoric, even implying a preference for a Liberal prime minister while simultaneously claiming indifference to the election outcome.
Consequently, continued friction is expected, including further jabs about Canada’s potential statehood and threats of trade conflicts, which could jeopardize longstanding agreements between the two nations.
Ironically, Trump’s derisive attention to Canada may have prevented him from fostering a relationship with a leader who, while not an exact match, aligns more closely with his populist and conservative priorities than Carney does.
Although Poilievre is not directly comparable to Trump, both share certain aspirations, such as reducing government size, cutting taxes, and limiting social services, along with a penchant for promoting fossil fuel initiatives and criticizing so-called “woke” culture.
A Conservative victory would have been interpreted by many—including both American and global observers—as an indication that Trump’s electoral success was part of a broader, enduring movement toward their model of cultural conservatism, characterized by opposition to elites and immigration.
Source
www.bbc.com