Canada’s Liberal Party claimed victory in Monday’s federal election, with Prime Minister Mark Carney immediately taking aim at U.S. President Donald Trump in his late-night victory speech.
“As I’ve been warning for months, America wants our land, our water, our resources, our country… never,” Carney declared to supporters in Ottawa after securing his win.
The newly elected Prime Minister made bold claims about the American president’s intentions, stating these were not “idle threats” and that “President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us.”
Despite his combative rhetoric, Carney promised to meet with Trump to discuss what he called “a crisis that we did not create” and vowed to “win this trade war with America.”
The Liberal victory represents a remarkable turnaround for a party that political analysts had predicted was headed for a crushing defeat just weeks earlier.
Experts attribute this reversal largely to Trump’s recent comments about Canada, including suggestions that it should become America’s “51st state” and claims that Canada “would cease to exist as a country” if the U.S. stopped buying its goods.
As of 2 a.m. EDT following election day, the Liberals were leading in or had won 167 of 343 districts, up from their previous 150 seats.
The Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, was trailing with leads in 145 districts.
The Daily Mail reported that while it remains unclear whether Carney’s Liberals will secure the 172 seats needed for a majority government, they are widely expected to form a coalition with the far-left New Democratic Party if necessary.
In his victory address, Carney made clear his intention to reduce Canada’s economic dependence on the United States.
“Our old relationship of integration with the U.S. is now over,” he stated.
“We are over the shock of the American betrayal, we have to take care of each other.”
Carney further promised to strengthen relationships with “reliable partners in Europe and Asia” and declared that “if the U.S. doesn’t want to play a pivotal role in the world economy, we will lead, not the Americans.”
Trump had inserted himself directly into Canada’s election, posting on social media that he was “in fact on the ballot” and repeating his claim that Canada should become America’s 51st state, incorrectly asserting that the U.S. subsidizes Canada.
The Daily Mail noted that during an Oval Office signing ceremony earlier on election day, Trump claimed that Canada “would cease to exist as a country” if America stopped purchasing its goods, adding, “I have to be honest, as a state, it works great.”
These comments reportedly angered many Canadians, fueling a surge in nationalism that helped the Liberals reshape the election narrative and secure a fourth consecutive term in power.
Conservative leader Poilievre, who had hoped to make the election a referendum on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decade in power, conceded defeat late Monday night, vowing that his party would “hold the government to account.”
The Conservatives still gained ground, potentially increasing their seat count by 26 from the previous government, though the final results may not be known for some time and could depend on vote counts from British Columbia, where polls closed last.
Carney faces significant challenges ahead, including managing a trade war with Canada’s largest trading partner.
More than 75 percent of Canada’s exports go to the United States, making Trump’s tariff threats and desire to relocate auto manufacturing south of the border potentially devastating for the Canadian economy.
During his campaign, Carney promised that revenue from counter-tariffs on U.S. goods would support Canadian workers affected by the trade dispute.
He also pledged to maintain dental care programs, offer middle-class tax cuts, reduce immigration to “sustainable levels,” and increase funding for Canada’s public broadcaster.
