Ottawa — Liberal leader Mark Carney declared victory Tuesday night in Canada’s federal election, warning of growing tensions with the United States and vowing to defend the nation’s sovereignty in the face of mounting pressure from Washington.
In a defiant speech to supporters in Ottawa, Carney took direct aim at former U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of undermining Canada’s autonomy.
“America wants our land, our resources, our water—our country,” Carney told the crowd. “President Trump is trying to break us so America can own us. That will never happen.”
Carney emphasized the importance of national unity and acknowledged that the longstanding relationship between Canada and the United States had fundamentally changed. He suggested the post-World War II era of cooperation and shared prosperity was over.
“The system of open global trade anchored by the United States, which has supported our prosperity for decades, is now gone,” he said. “This is a tragedy—but it is also our new reality.”
Preliminary projections showed the Liberal Party securing more seats in the 343-member Parliament than the opposition Conservatives, although Carney fell short of obtaining a majority government.
The result gives the Liberals a fourth consecutive term but leaves them in a weaker position to negotiate critical issues, including the ongoing trade dispute with the United States.
Carney, a former central banker, replaced Justin Trudeau earlier this year following Trudeau’s resignation amid declining approval ratings.
At the time, the Liberals were trailing the Conservatives by 20 points in national polls.
However, the political landscape shifted as Trump escalated rhetoric against Canada’s economy and controversially suggested the country should become the 51st U.S. state.
The comments sparked backlash across Canada and fueled a wave of nationalism that bolstered support for Carney’s Liberals in the final weeks of the campaign.
Despite the loss, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre congratulated Carney and pledged to hold the government accountable. “We know that change is needed, but change is hard to come by,” Poilievre said during his concession speech. “We will learn from tonight and come back stronger next time.”
Throughout the campaign, Carney positioned himself as the best candidate to manage Canada’s economy and handle tense negotiations with Washington.
He proposed major investments to reduce Canada’s economic dependence on the U.S. and vowed a tougher stance on tariffs.
Meanwhile, Poilievre focused his campaign on domestic concerns, including inflation, housing affordability, and crime. He received public backing from Trump, who repeated his controversial proposal for Canadian statehood on social media just as Canadians headed to the polls.
“Good luck to the great people of Canada,” Trump posted.
“Elect the man who will cut your taxes, grow your industries, and make Canada the 51st state—with no tariffs or taxes.”
The new government now faces the task of navigating a fragile U.S.-Canada relationship, managing internal political divisions, and addressing mounting economic challenges at home.
