Mathew Amaechi
In an election day marked by high drama and international intrigue, Canada went to the polls on Monday amid growing concerns over a looming trade war and the unprecedented involvement of U.S.
President Donald Trump in the nation’s domestic politics.The Liberal Party, now under the stewardship of new Prime Minister Mark Carney, found itself in a precarious position just days ago. Initially trailing behind the Conservative front-runner, Pierre Poilievre, Carney’s fortunes changed dramatically after President Trump made a startling intervention. The U.S. leader’s Truth Social post, declaring that Canada would benefit from “ZERO TARIFFS” if it became the “cherished 51st state,” sent shock waves through Canadian political circles. “IT WAS MEANT TO BE!” Trump boldly declared, a statement that reverberated from coast to coast and shifted poll forecasts almost overnight.At 60 years old, Carney is a political newcomer with an impressive resume that spans high finance and central banking.
His tenure as both the Canadian and British central bank governor was widely lauded, and he entered politics as a fresh alternative to the decades-long Liberal governance seen in recent years.
Leveraging his global financial experience, Carney has campaigned on promises to revitalize internal trade, expand economic opportunities abroad, and reduce Canada’s historical economic reliance on the United States—a shift he argues is essential given Trump’s recent tariff threats and claims that “the United States under Trump wants to break us, so they can own us.”On the opposite side, Conservative candidate Pierre Poilievre, a 45-year-old career politician, has anchored his campaign in domestic issues. Poilievre’s message centers on the need to address non-Trump issues that have long plagued Canada, including soaring living costs, crime, and housing shortages. “You cannot handle another four years of this,” he asserted, invoking memories of the unpopular policies that characterized Justin Trudeau’s final years in power.
The dramatic insertion of American politics into the Canadian electoral narrative has polarized opinions across the nation. In Montreal, 28-year-old engineer Hamza Fahri summed up the unique nature of the day: “I wanted to vote for change in Canada. I wanted the Liberals to go, but in the end, I’ll vote for Carney because he is a strong, serious man and that’s what the country needs to face Trump.”
Conversely, conservative-leaning voters like Saskatchewan’s Kelsey Leschasin stressed their desire for a change from what they see as ineffective Liberal governance.
Yet, not all voices were enthusiastic about the foreign focus on American politics. Montreal resident Julie Demers expressed regret that the national debate had increasingly centered on Trump’s intrusion. “I think it’s unfortunate that we only talked about American politics,” said Demers, lamenting that broader domestic issues such as social equality have been sidelined.
Final polls present a tight race. According to CBC’s poll aggregator, the Liberals’ national support sits at 42.8 percent, compared to 38.8 percent for the Conservatives. A pivotal moment in the campaign came when Carney replaced Trudeau, inspiring many voters to see him as the best candidate to counter Trump’s economic aggression. Carney has framed his leadership as a necessary shift away from what he describes as the “lost Liberal decade.”However, the future remains uncertain. With nearly 29 million of Canada’s 41 million eligible voters expected to cast ballots for 343 parliamentary seats, the performance of smaller political parties such as the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) and the separatist Bloc Quebecois could still prove decisive. While past elections have seen these parties throttle Liberal seat counts, their ultimate impact on Monday’s outcome remains to be seen.As advanced ballots — numbering a record 7.3 million — continue to roll in, all eyes are on Canada to see if it can defy the predictability of past elections and chart a new course in its foreign and domestic policy.
Will Carney’s promise of calm and maturity prevail, or will Poilievre’s focus on change resonate more with voters seeking an end to what many describe as the chaotic past years? For now, Canada waits with bated breath, its electoral outcome set to not only reshape its own future but potentially redefine its relationship with its largest neighbor.
