Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has won Canada's national election, sealing a remarkable political comeback in a contest dominated by renewed tensions with the United States under President Donald Trump.
Final results on Monday night confirmed that the Liberals secured the most seats in the 343-member parliament, national broadcasters CBC and CTV News reported. However, it remained unclear whether Mr Carney would be able to form a majority government or would need support from smaller parties to govern.
The victory marks a stunning turnaround for the Liberals, who earlier this year had been trailing the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, by more than 20 points in opinion polls.
Conservative hopes to capitalise on public fatigue with former prime minister Justin Trudeau faltered in the face of a surge in patriotic sentiment, triggered by Mr Trump’s return to the White House and his aggressive rhetoric towards Canada.
Throughout the campaign, Mr Carney — a career economist who previously headed the central banks of Canada and the United Kingdom — framed the election as a battle for Canadian sovereignty.
“Donald Trump wants to break us so America can own us. It is our strength that the Americans want,” Mr Carney declared at a campaign rally. “They want our resources, they want our water, they want our land, they want our country. They can’t have it.”
Despite repeated provocations from Mr Trump — who, on polling day, urged Canadians via Truth Social to "elect the man who can cut your taxes in half" and proposed Canada’s integration as the 51st US state — Canadians largely rallied behind the Liberals.
The Liberals' message of protecting Canadian identity and economic independence appeared to resonate deeply with voters, helping the party to consolidate support across key battlegrounds.
Historic Toronto riding returns to Liberals
In one of the night’s most symbolic results, Liberal candidate Leslie Stewart reclaimed Toronto-St Paul’s — a riding long considered a Liberal stronghold before its loss to the Conservatives in a 2024 by-election.
Don Stewart’s by-election victory last year had been widely seen as heralding the end of Liberal dominance. However, Monday’s result suggests a significant reversal, reaffirming Toronto-St Paul's as Liberal territory.
As results were announced, celebrations erupted at Liberal headquarters across the country, with supporters hailing the victory as a vindication of Canada’s sovereignty and future independence.
