Carney’s Liberals win election

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Prime Minister Mark Carney won Canada’s election Monday, leading his Liberal Party to a new term in power after convincing voters his experience managing crises had prepared him to confront United States (US) President Donald Trump.

The public broadcaster CBC and other outlets projected the Liberals would form Canada’s next government, but it was not yet clear if they would hold a majority in parliament.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre fell short of becoming prime minister, but his party was on track to form a strong opposition.

Carney, who had never held elected office and only replaced Justin Trudeau as prime minister last month, previously served as central bank governor in both Canada and Britain.

Trump’s trade war and annexation threats outraged Canadians and made dealing with the US a top campaign issue.

Carney, a 60-year-old former investment banker, anchored his campaign on an anti-Trump message, promising to expand Canada’s overseas trading relationships to curb reliance on the US, a country he said “we can no longer trust.”

Carney has described the threat of Trump in stark terms.

“Donald Trump wants to break us so America can own us,” he said during the campaign.

“They want our resources, they want our water, they want our land, they want our country. They can’t have it.”

When the CBC projection was announced, cheers of joy erupted at the Ottawa venue where Liberal supporters were watching the results.