Trump last week warned he might impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian-made cars and, on election day, once again called for Canada to join the United States.
EDMONTON—Canadians headed to the polls on Monday in a pivotal election after a campaign shaped in part by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and repeated calls to make Canada the 51st U.S. state.
What began as a contest focused on affordability, housing, and crime evolved into a campaign dominated by questions of sovereignty and patriotism after Trump repeatedly suggested annexing Canada and threatened sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods.
The late-stage shift in focus appeared to boost Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney, a political newcomer but a seasoned economic manager who once led Canada’s central bank and the Bank of England. Carney cast the election as a battle to defend Canadian independence, portraying Trump’s threats as a serious warning for the country’s future.
Support for Carney’s Liberals rose in the final stretch. A CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll released on April 27 showed the party holding a narrow 2.7-point national lead over Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. An EKOS poll projected a possible Liberal majority in the 343-seat House of Commons, Canada’s version of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Poilievre, however, remained competitive in key battlegrounds, capitalizing on widespread frustration over rising costs of living and positioning himself as a champion of working- and middle-class Canadians seeking relief from high inflation and housing shortages.
Also on the ballot are several smaller parties that could influence the balance of power.
Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party (NDP), broadly comparable to progressive Democrats in the United States, has advocated for expanded public health care, stronger labor rights, and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
The Bloc Québécois, led by Yves-François Blanchet, is a Quebec nationalist party that has been advocating greater autonomy for Quebec within Canada and promoting policies tailored to the province’s French-speaking identity.
The Green Party, co-led by Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault, has focused on aggressive climate action, democratic reforms, and social justice issues.
The People’s Party of Canada, led by former Conservative politician Maxime Bernier, represents a right-leaning populist platform advocating for sharply reduced immigration, skepticism toward climate policies, and a smaller federal government.
Voter enthusiasm appeared strong. According to Elections Canada, an all-time high of 7.3 million Canadians cast ballots in advance polls over the Easter weekend, exceeding the previous record of 5.8 million advance votes in 2021. If election day turnout matches early voting numbers, total turnout could far surpass that of the past two federal elections.
By Tom Ozimek
