Canadian Prime Minister and liberal leader Mark Carney. Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images Closed subtitles
Mark Carney was elected as Prime Minister of Canada, one of the country's most important elections in decades, according to forecasts by the state broadcaster CBC/RBC Canada. However, it is unclear whether his Liberal Party will win the 172 seats required for the direct majority of Congress. All results will not be available until Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
The vote is widely seen as a decision on which candidates can best handle President Trump, who has inspired a wave of nationalism across Canada by threatening to annex Canada and signing serious tariffs to the country.
The 60-year-old Carney, before becoming the governor of the Bank of England during the Brexit turmoil, and served as head of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 recession, working in investment banking. Carney never held a political position before being appointed Liberal leader in March. His background in finance and seemingly inequality-inclusive behavior help convince voters that he is the candidate who can best address Trump and sometimes erratic policies.
Carney defeated Pierre Poilievre, a 45-year-old professional politician and Conservative leader. It was a stunning reversal of fate for Poilievre, who spent more than a year in the polls and his Conservatives scored 27 points among liberals.
Ottawa, Canada - April 28: Supporters responded to Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal Leader Mark Carney on election night as early poll results show liberals in the federal election victory. Andrej Ivanov/Getty Images North America Closed subtitles
Poilievre's momentum began to slip when current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned. Trudeau of the Liberal Party was widely disliked in Canada before the end of his decade-long term, and his resignation promoted liberals. Carney became Trudeau's successor.
But when President Trump began to target Canada’s economy and its sovereignty, the real uplift was driven by the driving force. Many Canadians are angry at Trump’s threat to Canada’s 51st state – a threat he repeated on Election Day social media.
Poilievre's many positions and many of his rhetoric mirrors Trump - albeit at a more modest level. The conservative leader’s slogan is the “Canadian” slogan, he wants closer borders, smaller government, and end what right-wing politicians think is “w smelly”. Although his proposal resonated with some voters early on, Poilievre's connection to Trump ultimately hurt him badly.
This is the third consecutive federal election defeat by the Conservatives, leading some analysts to believe the party will now go through a period of information and appeals about it.