The Japan Times - Carney's Liberals win Canada election defined by Trump

The public broadcaster CBC and CTV News both projected the Liberals would form Canada's next government, but it was not yet clear if they would hold a majority in parliament.

Trump's trade war and threats to annex Canada, which he renewed in an election day social media post, outraged Canadians and made dealing with the United States a top campaign issue.

Carney, who had never held elected office and only replaced Justin Trudeau as prime minister last month, anchored his campaign on an anti-Trump message.

He previously served as central bank governor in both Britain and Canada and persuaded voters his global financial experience has prepared him to guide Canada through a trade war.

He promised to expand overseas trading relations to curb Canada's reliance on the United States.

Carney's descriptions of the Trump threat have been stark.

"Donald Trump wants to break us so America can own us," he said during the campaign.

"They want our resources, they want our water, they want our land, they want our country. They can't have it."

- Trudeau's departure -

But the departure of former prime minister Justin Trudeau was also crucial to the Liberal win, which capped one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Canadian political history.

On January 6, the day Trudeau announced he would resign, the Conservatives led the Liberals by more than 20 points in most polls, as voter anger over soaring coasts mounted after Trudeau's decade in power.

But Carney replacing Trudeau, combined with nationwide unease about Trump, transformed the race.

Carney, 60, distanced himself from Trudeau throughout the campaign.

He said the former prime minister did not focus enough on growing Canada's economy and scrapped a controversial Trudeau tax on carbon emissions that left many voters seething.

Nearly 29 million of Canada's 41 million people were eligible to vote in the massive G7 country that spans six time zones. A record 7.3 million people cast advanced ballots.

Results were still pending on the shape of Canada's 343 members of parliament, with 172 seats needed for a majority. The Liberals won a majority in 2015 but have governed with a minority since 2019.

S.Ogawa--JT