Canadian voters supported Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party in Monday’s national election, according to a projection by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Although it’s still unclear if the Liberals will win enough seats for a majority, the CBC says the party is on track to continue leading the country. The election was strongly influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions.

“Who’s ready to stand up for Canada with me?” Carney told cheering supporters early Tuesday. He said that Trump’s repeated comments about making Canada the 51st U.S. state were “not idle threats.” “President Trump is trying to break us, so that America can own us. That will never, that will never, ever happen,” he said. He mentioned that it's important to realise that "our world has changed in fundamental ways," and that the old relationship Canada had with its long-time ally and trading partner, the United States, is "now over." “We are over the shock of the American betrayal, but we should never forget the lessons,” Carney said. “We have to look out for ourselves.” Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative opposition, admitted defeat on Tuesday and congratulated Carney. He said the Liberals had won a “razor-thin minority government” and promised that his party would keep them in check.

Just a few months ago, Poilievre looked likely to become Canada’s next leader. Many Canadians were frustrated with high inflation, growing immigration, and what they saw as former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau being too soft on Trump, who had just been elected in the U.S. Now, as vote counting continues, Poilievre is at risk of losing his own seat in Parliament. Trudeau announced he would step down on January 6, just two weeks before Trump became the U.S. president, after polls showed he was losing support. But after Trump returned to office, his actions angered many Canadians, especially his tough talk and high tariffs on Canadian goods, as well as calling Canada the “51st state.” These moves became major issues in Canada’s election, helping the Liberal Party bounce back and close a nearly 20-point gap with the Conservatives in just a few weeks.

The Liberals gained momentum thanks to their candidate, Carney, who seems well-suited to handle Trump and the economic uncertainty caused by his tariffs. Like Trump, Carney had never been elected to office before becoming the leader of his country. He spent most of his career in the private sector. Last month, he became prime minister after winning the leadership of the Liberal Party and quickly called a snap election to try to secure a full term. Carney, who is 60 years old, is also a former central banker. He managed the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis and led the Bank of England through Brexit. He highlighted that experience during the 37-day campaign. “Mark offers the proven leadership and real plan we need to deliver change for our party and our country, and to build the strongest economy in the G7,” his campaign said, referring to the Group of Seven industrialised nations.

Poilievre was gaining popularity until earlier this year. His style, often compared to a milder version of Donald Trump, appealed to the populist side of his party. But as public frustration in Canada grew, the similarities to Trump started to hurt his image. He focused his campaign on creating more job opportunities and helping Gen Z afford homes, using people’s dissatisfaction with the current Liberal government.

At a rally on Sunday, CBC quoted him calling the Trudeau government “the lost Liberal decade,” blaming them for more crime, chaos, drug problems, and general disorder. Trump continued teasing Canada on Monday, as Canadians were voting, by repeating his idea that Canada should become the "beloved" 51st state of the United States. “ALL POSITIVES WITH NO NEGATIVES. IT WAS MEANT TO BE!” he said on his Truth Social platform. Both Carney and Poilievre criticised Trump for his remarks and other comments he made regarding the Canadian election. “They can become divided and weak,” Carney said in a video on social media Monday, speaking of the United States. “But this is Canada. And we decide what happens here.”

Poilievre wrote Monday on X: “President Trump, stay out of our election.” “The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box,” he wrote. “Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state.” A voter from Toronto, Reid Warren, explained that he voted Liberal because he felt Poilievre resembled a "mini-Trump." He also mentioned that concerns about tariffs influenced his decision.

“Canadians coming together from, you know, all the shade being thrown from the States is great, but it’s definitely created some turmoil, that’s for sure,” Warren said. As of late Monday, Trump had not publicly commented on the election result, but his predecessor congratulated Carney and the Liberals. “I’m confident Mark will be a strong leader for the fundamental values and interests Canadians and Americans share,” former President Joe Biden said in a post on X.