TORONTO (AP) – Canadians had decided Monday whether to extend power for the Liberal decade by choosing new prime minister Mark Kearney or Hand Control to the opposition Conservatives and their populist leader Pierre Polyable. But the election was also a kind of referendum for Donald Trump, who is not even Canadian.
The US president trolled Canadians on Election Day, suggesting he was on the ballot in a social media post, repeatedly saying Canada should be the 51st state, falsely arguing that the US would subsidize Canada. “Unless Canada is a nation, that doesn’t make sense!” Trump posted.
Poilliebre, who has been criticized for not taking a more stiff stance towards Trump, responded in his own post.
“President Trump, leave our election. The only people who will determine Canada’s future are Canadians in the ballot box,” he posted. “Canada has always been proud, sovereign, independent, and we will never become the 51st state.”
The Liberals appeared to be heading for defeat until Trump won a second term and threatened Canada’s economy and sovereignty.
Trump’s trachance infuriated many Canadians, with many canceling US holidays, refusing to buy American goods, and possibly even voting early. A record 7.3 million Canadians voted before Election Day.
Trump also put Poilliebre and the Conservatives in the back after heading out for a simple victory a few months ago, leading to a surge in nationalism that helped the Liberals turn the election narrative over.
“Americans want to break us, so they want to have us own,” Carney said recently, laying out what he saw as an election interest. “They’re not just words, they’re at risk.”
Polls across Canada tackle the aftermath of a deadly car rush attack in Vancouver on Saturday, votes were held across Canada. The tragedy prompted the campaign to be suspended for hours. Police ruled out the terrorist attacks and said the suspect was a local man with a history of mental health issues.
Trump has become the main issue
Poiriebre walked with his wife, holding hands to the ballot box. “Go out to vote for change,” he said.
Poilierble hoped to make the election of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a referendum. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fell in popularity towards the end of his decade as food and housing prices rose and immigration spiked.
But then Trump became a dominant issue, and Poilierbre’s similarities with the president could cost him.
“He appeals to the same sense of dissatisfaction,” Canadian historian Robert Boswell said of his conservative leader. “It’s like Trump is saying, ‘I’m your retaliation.’ ”
Boswell added: “The Liberals should pay him. Trump’s story isn’t good for conservatives,” he added.
Foreign policy has not dominated Canadian elections much since 1988, when free trade with the United States was ironically a common issue.
Winners face many challenges
Canada has been dealing with the cost of living crisis for some time. And the threat of imposing Trump’s appeal, with over 75% of exports going to the US, and his desire to move Canadian production south to North American automakers could seriously damage the Canadian economy.
Carney and Poilier Bre said if elected, they will accelerate the renegotiation of a free trade agreement between Canada and the US to end the uncertainty that will hurt both economies.
Carney has prominent experience navigating the economic crisis after running a Canadian central bank and later becoming the first non-uk citizen to run the Bank of England.
Trump said he spoke about Canada becoming the 51st state during his campaign until last week, saying that if Canada stops purchasing products, it will “stop existing as a country.” He also said it wasn’t just when Canada said it should become a nation.
In response to the threat to Canada’s sovereignty, Carney appealed to voters to deliver him a strong order to deal with Trump.
“President Trump has some obsessive ideas, and that’s one,” Carney said of the threat of his annexation. “That’s no joke. It’s his very strong desire to make this happen. It’s one of the reasons why this crisis is so serious.”
