OTTAWA — Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has managed to cling to power in Canada’s latest federal election, but just barely. The victory comes with no clear mandate — a minority government that reflects both relief and uncertainty across the country.
With 167 seats secured — five short of a majority in the 343-seat House of Commons — the Liberals will now need the support of smaller parties to govern. It’s a win, but not the sweeping one Carney had hoped for to take a firm stance in Canada’s increasingly tense relationship with the United States.
“This is not the Canada-U.S. relationship we’ve known for decades,” Carney said in his emotionally charged speech in Ottawa on Monday night. “Our old friendship — built on trust, cooperation, and shared prosperity — has changed. The system of open global trade we relied on? It’s over.”
Carney’s words hit hard, but so did reality. Tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump and his aggressive trade rhetoric have deeply shaken Canadians. Trump has threatened new tariffs on Canadian cars and floated the idea of Canada becoming the “51st state,” rhetoric that has inflamed nationalist sentiment.
For many voters, those threats hit a nerve. A wave of patriotism surged — and brought disillusioned Canadians back into the Liberal fold. Shachi Kurl, president of Angus Reid Institute, described it as a combination of “anti-Conservative sentiment, backlash against Trump’s tariffs, and the departure of an unpopular Trudeau” that gave the Liberals just enough lift.
But the celebration was muted. “These are tragedies, but it’s also our new reality,” Carney admitted, warning of difficult months ahead and sacrifices that will test the country’s resolve.
The right-of-center Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, ran a hard-fought campaign. They tapped into domestic frustrations — rising living costs, housing challenges, and crime. And while they made gains, they couldn’t overcome the Liberals’ resurgence, especially in key battlegrounds like Toronto.
“We know that change is needed,” Poilievre told a subdued crowd in Ottawa. “But change takes time.”
Meanwhile, smaller parties like the NDP and Bloc Quebecois saw some of their supporters shift to the Liberals — a move driven more by fear of Trump’s influence than loyalty to Carney.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh even lost his own seat and announced plans to step down. “Tonight wasn’t our night,” he said quietly, acknowledging the emotional toll of defeat.
Carney, a former central banker and political newcomer, leaned heavily on his economic experience, positioning himself as the only one equipped to face Trump’s unpredictability. And for now, Canadians seem to have agreed — cautiously.
It’s a fragile mandate and a divided Parliament. But in a turbulent world, it seems Canadians chose stability over the unknown.
Do you want me to draft a more emotional version, focused on citizens’ perspectives?
