Mark Carney wins Canadian election

Sylvie Claire / April 29, 2025

Mark Carney's Liberal Party won the Canadian legislative elections on Monday, according to local media projections, after a campaign focused on US President Donald Trump's threats against the country.

Canada must never forget the American betrayal," reacted Mark Carney, in his election victory speech to supporters in Ottawa.

Our old relationship with the United States is over“ because ”President Trump is trying to break us to own us“, he also declared, calling on the country to unite for the ”difficult months ahead that will require sacrifice".

However, the results of the vote, which are still preliminary, make it impossible to determine whether the Prime Minister will have a majority in Parliament.

Just a few months ago, the way seemed clear for the Canadian Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, to return to power after ten years of Justin Trudeau.

But Donald Trump's return to the White House and his unprecedented offensive against Canada, with tariffs and threats of annexation, have changed all that.

In Ottawa, where the Liberals are gathered for election night, the announcement of these first results provoked a round of applause and enthusiastic shouts. “I'm so happy,” said 72-year-old Dorothy Goubault from Ontario's Thousand Islands region. "I'm happy because we have someone who can talk to Mr. Trump on his level. Mr. Trump is a businessman. Mr. Carney is a businessman, and I think they can both understand each other." “I'm ecstatic and it's still early, but I'm confident that we'll manage to get a majority,” David Lametti, former justice minister, told AFP.

Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who admitted defeat, promised Tuesday to work with Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney to defend Canada's interests in the face of Donald Trump's attacks.
“Conservatives will work with the Prime Minister and all parties to defend Canada's interests and get a new trade deal that puts tariffs behind us while protecting our sovereignty,” Pierre Poilievre told supporters gathered in Ottawa for election night.

At the age of 60, Mark Carney, a political novice but a recognized economist, was able to convince a population worried about the country's economic and sovereign future that he was the right person to steer the country through these troubled times.

During the campaign, this former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of Great Britain kept reminding us that the American threat to Canada is real. "They want our resources, our water. The Americans want our country," he warned.
"Chaos has entered our lives. It's a tragedy, but it's also a reality. The key question of this election is who is best positioned to oppose President Trump?" he explained during the campaign. In response, he has promised to maintain tariffs on American products as long as Washington's measures are in place.

But also to develop trade within his country by lifting customs barriers between provinces, and to seek new markets, particularly in Europe. On the other hand, the Conservative leader, who had promised tax cuts and reductions in public spending, failed to convince voters in this G7 country, the world's 9th largest economy, to turn their backs on the Liberals.

Pierre Poilievre's proximity to the U.S. president, in terms of style and some of his ideas, alienated part of the electorate, according to analysts.


Nearly 29 million of Canada's 41 million inhabitants were called to the polls in this vast G7 country spanning six time zones. A record 7.3 million people voted in advance.