Canada’s governing Liberal Party has won national elections dominated by United States President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threats.

Prime Minister Mark Carney, who campaigned championing Canada in the face of Trump’s threats, led the Liberals to a fourth consecutive term, sealing a stunning turnaround for a party that until recently was on track for a crushing defeat at the hands of the Conservative Party.

As of 08:00 GMT on Tuesday, the Liberals secured 168 seats in the 343-seat house, four shy of the 172 outright majority, against the Conservatives’ 144 seats.

Trump has yet to issue a statement on the Liberal victory, which is widely viewed to have been driven by his actions and controversial statements, including his reiterated suggestion on the cusp of the vote that Canada should become the “cherished 51st” state of the US.

In his victory speech, Carney issued a dire warning, calling on Canadians to unite in the face of Trump’s threats.

“America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country,” he said. “President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us; that will never … ever happen, but we, but we also must recognise the reality that our world has fundamentally changed.”

Canada’s allies in Europe and elsewhere have been quick to herald the result and highlight their joint commitment to democratic values and the rules-based international order.

Source: Al Jazeera

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