Canadians cast their ballots in an election influenced significantly by apprehensions surrounding Trump's administration.
Canadians flocked to the polls in 2025, a tumultuous election year dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist policies and fantastical musings about annexing Canada.
The season was rocked by Trump's bellicose rhetoric, igniting a wave of nationwide fervor that spiraled support for Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney, a political novice who was a force to be reckoned with. His previous tenure as head of two G7 central banks lent him a unique brand of political experience.
Trump's inflammatory threats cast a long shadow over the campaign, creating a surreal political terrain where annexation was a hot-button issue. Yet, fate had a grim twist in store—a tragic incident on the weekend prior to the election, as a man mowed down a crowd at a Filipino community festival in Vancouver, leaving 11 dead and scores injured.
In the aftermath, Carney and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre paid their respects during their final campaign events. Political science professor Duane Bratt from Calgary's Mount Royal University declared that such a heartbreaking event wouldn't deter voters.
In national polls, Carney's Liberals maintained a 2.7-point lead over Poilievre's Conservatives, according to a CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll. The Liberals, at 42.6% support, clung onto their edge as the Conservatives trailed at 39.9%. Meanwhile, an EKOS poll reported a wider six-point lead for the Liberals.
Trump resurfaced as a campaign variable in the waning days of the campaign, hinting at a potential 25% tariff on Canadian-made cars. It was a grim reminder of the precarious trade relationship between the two nations. Previously, he hinted that he might employ "economic force" to turn Canada into the 51st U.S. state.
Renowned political science professor Kelly Saunders from Brandon University claimed that the numerous threats emanating from the U.S. overshadowed the entire campaign.
Carney emphasized his skill in managing economic issues, contending that he was the ideal candidate to negotiate with Trump, while Poilievre addressed the anxieties surrounding the cost of living, crime, and a crippling housing crisis.
Trump, unfazed, reiterated his call for Canada to become the 51st state. "Good luck to the Great people of Canada," he tweeted on Election Day. "Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America."
Condemning Trump's meddling, Poilievre declared, "President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box." True to his famous hockey persona, Carney's reply was succinct yet potent, proclaiming, "Elbows up, Canada. #Never51."
In his efforts to distance himself from his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, Carney garnered support from younger Canadians as Poilievre leveled his populist campaign at domestic concerns.
Vancouver-based mortgage broker Andy Hill, aged 37, expressed his support for Carney, stating, "Being in the English banking system and being in the Canadian banking system, he really understands the economy." Bob Lowe, a 66-year-old rancher residing south of Calgary, however, cast his vote for the Conservatives, citing Canada's sluggish economic recovery as his primary concern.
Saunders predicted that the Liberals would secure a majority of electoral districts, dubbing it a "magical scenario" for the Conservatives to emerge victorious. The Conservatives' support was primarily in rural areas with fewer seats, making it challenging for them to garner a majority.
The results of the election would trickle in, starting in the eastern provinces, as the votes were counted by hand after the polls closed at staggered times on Election Night.
- The tragic incident at the Filipino community festival in Vancouver, a national event, left 11 dead and multiple injured, causing a wave of sorrow that didn't deter voters from flocking to the polls during the tumultuous election year.
- Despite Trump's threats and fantastical musings about annexing Canada, the Liberals maintained a 2.7-point lead over the Conservatives in national polls, according to a CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll, with Carney's political experience as a central factor.
- In the waning days of the campaign, Trump hinted at a potential 25% tariff on Canadian-made cars, reminding citizens of the precarious trade relationship between the two nations, a factor in general-news discussions.
- Kelly Saunders, a renowned political science professor from Brandon University, claimed that the numerous threats emanating from the U.S. overshadowed the entire campaign, creating an unusual political landscape.
- Carney contended that he was the ideal candidate to negotiate with Trump due to his skill in managing economic issues, while Poilievre addressed the domestic concerns of the cost of living, crime, and the housing crisis.
- Renowned for his hockey persona, Carney's reply to Trump's proposal of annexation, "Elbows up, Canada. #Never51," was succinct yet potent, garnering support from younger Canadians.
- In contrast, Trump's meddling was denounced by Poilievre, who asserted, "President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box."
- With rural areas providing the Conservatives' primary support, but with fewer seats, Saunders predicted that the Liberals would secure a majority of electoral districts, making a Conservative victory a long shot, or what he dubbed a "magical scenario."
