Prime Minister Mark Carney led his Liberal Party to a narrow victory in Canada’s election on Monday, and signaled a clear mandate to fight against Trump’s threats to the country’s sovereignty.
Carney gave a rousing combative speech in Ottawa in the early hours of Tuesday, vowing that Canada would never become America’s 51st state.
“As I have been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country: never,” he said. “But these are not idle threats: President Trump is trying to break us, so America can own us. That will never, ever happen.”
While the Liberal Party (in red!) won over the Conservatives, it is still unfolding whether they will have a majority in the next House of Commons, which would allow Carney to govern relatively unimpeded, or if his government would need to rely on smaller parties to support his agenda.
Ben Meiselas explains well the breakdown of the Canadian parties and their votes, and how Carney will need a coalition of like-minded parties to govern. This is still a developing vision as the election results finalize.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre actually lost his seat in Ottawa, a stinging defeat for a man who seemed set to become the next prime minister just a few weeks ago. He is a career politician and has held the seat for the past two decades, since he was 25.
Before his loss, Poilievre conceded the general election but vowed to stay on as leader. It is not clear whether his party will stick with him.
Poilievre had to tell Trump to butt out of Canada’s election on Monday, but oh well.
Thanks, Trump!
