Title: How Trump's Trade Battle Altered Canada's Elections and Boosted the Liberal Party
The AP's Take: Trump's trade war and territorial threats swayed the Canadian election, enhancing the Liberal Party's chance of securing a fourth term.
Canada's election disrupted by Trump's trade conflicts and annexation threats
Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies and territorial threats have disrupted Canada's election, proving advantageous for the Liberal Party, potentially claiming a fourth consecutive term.
Sabotage by Trump enraged Canadians, fueling a burgeoning Canadian nationalism that propelled the Liberals to reshape the political landscape. Ex-Quebec Premier Jean Charest asserts, "Trump immersed himself into our lives and defined the ballot question."
Even Quebec separatists, traditionally at odds with the rest of Canada, rallied behind the country, challenging Trump's suggestion that Canada could be America's 51st state. Charest declared, "Quebecers are very much aligned with the rest of Canadians in defending the country."
The Conservative Party, hoping to win an election referendum against former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saw its prospects plummet, as food and housing prices rose and immigration soared. However, Trump's assault intensified, causing Trudeau's resignation, and the rise of Mark Carney, a two-time central banker, as the Liberal Party's leader and Prime Minister.
As Charest recounts, "We were looking at a crushing Conservative victory. Today, we find ourselves in a completely different world." Canadians have ceased U.S. trips and boycotted American goods in response to Trump's trade war and hostile rhetoric. Moreover, record early voting suggests Trump's actions may have spurred voter enthusiasm.
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Carney asserted that the era of U.S. dominance in the global economy has waned. He questioned, "Who can best respond to President Trump?" Poilievre, a populist seeking the Conservative leadership, has adopted a "Canada First" stance reminiscent of Trump's "America First." Yet, this similarity may potentially damage Poilievre's chances, as in a mid-January poll by Nanos, the Liberals trailed the Conservatives by 47% to 20%.
Ian Brodie, former chief of staff to Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, voiced frustration over the drastic shift in the Conservative campaign strategy due to Trump's influence. Brodie stated, "At least 40% of the electorate is terrified about the nation's continued existence. ... In a sense, it is a once-in-a-lifetime alignment of forces that works against everything Pierre [Poilievre] has done since he joined politics."
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The next prime minister will inherit challenges, with both Carney and Poilievre promising to expedite free trade deal renegotiations to alleviate the economic uncertainty dogging both nations. Carney's expertise in navigating crises, as demonstrated during his stint at the Bank of England, could prove invaluable.
According to Robert Bothwell, a University of Toronto professor of Canadian history and international relations, Carney is "the luckiest guy alive" to take on the prime minister role during these tumultuous times. However, ongoing challenges, including trade tensions and unpredictable U.S. policies, demand careful navigating.
- The Liberal Party, led by Mark Carney, heads towards a potential fourth term in Canada's elections, a shift driven by Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies and territorial threats that defined the ballot question.
- Jean Charest, former Quebec Premier, opines that Trump immersed himself into Canadian lives, shaping the political landscape and propelling nationalism.
- Amidst rising food and housing prices, immigration soaring, and Trump's persistent assaults, the Conservative Party's election prospects plummeted, leading to Justin Trudeau's resignation and Mark Carney's rise as Prime Minister.
- Canada's response to Trump's trade war and hostile rhetoric includes boycotting American goods and ceasing U.S. trips, actions that have spurred record early voting and voter enthusiasm.
- Maxime Bernier's "Canada First" stance echoes Trump's "America First" in the race for Conservative leadership, but this similarity may adversely affect his chances, with the Liberals leading significantly in polls.
- In the midst of US-India's trade deal negotiations and ongoing economic uncertainty, the next Prime Minister will face challenges requiring careful navigation, as both Mark Carney and Maxime Bernier promise to expedite free trade deal renegotiations for both nations.
