The most anticipated Canadian election in decades—of course because of Trump—has come to an end yesterday. The Liberal Party led by Mark Carny has won the election. A few months ago, the party was almost dead, but it has won the federal election for the fourth consecutive time, making history. On the other hand, the far-right Canadian Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, lost the election it was supposed to win. But the question is, why did Canadians choose Carny’s Liberal party and reject Pierre’s Conservatives?
What to Know About the Two Major Candidates of this Election?
The Liberal leader, Mark Carney, was not a politician a few months ago—he was the governor of the Central Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013, the Governor of the Bank of England from
2013 to 2020. Carny also worked as an advisor to the former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. But in January 2025, when Trudeau announced his resignation from the post, Carny stepped into the scene, formally becoming a politician. Later in March, he won the Liberal election and became the Prime Minister of Canada.
On the other hand, the leader of the Conservative Party, and Canada’s populist leader, Pierre Poilievre, has been in the political scene for a long time since his graduation. He was first elected in the 2004 federal election, Nepean—Carleton—later reconfigured as Carleton. Throughout his career, he held several important roles under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, including as the Minister of Democratic Reform and the Minister of Employment and Social Development.
Why Canadians Chose Mark Carney Over Pierre Poilievre?
The 2025 Canadian Federal Election is one of the most significant elections of the decade. For all Canadian’s this was a testing ground of Canada’s versatility and liberal values. But since Trudeau’s resignation due to voter fatigue, political scandals, and growing unpopularity, the Liberals were having a tough time finding a rhythm. On the other hand, Poilievre and his Conservative party were very hopeful to win this election due to the Liberal Party’s unpopularity. However, the scene is quite the opposite, and it happened based on a very few agendas, including Trump’s tax aggression and the threat of annexing Canada.
Canadians voted for sovereignty and Stability
This election was significantly influenced by Donald Trump’s aggressive rhetoric and tariff threats. After winning the election, Trump threatened Canada, saying the U.S will annex Canada and make it its 51st state. His fascist rhetoric raised concerns among Canadians. Besides, the recently imposed Trump tariff on Canada also threatens its economic position in the region.
The sunken Liberals picked Trump’s threat and used it in their political campaign. Carney positioned himself as a steady leader capable of defending national interests and showing the middle finger to Trump’s threats. It resonated with the Canadian voters seeking stability amid external pressures. On the other hand, Poilievre did not pay much attention to this matter. Most Canadians recognize him as a populist leader like Trump, who shares common political ideologies.
Trust In Leadership
Carny, despite being a newcomer, gained trust among Canadians with his promises that looked more realistic than Poilievre’s. Surveys indicated that Canadians were more likely to trust an ideologically Liberal candidate than a populist. Carney, as a liberal thinking politician, won trust. The voters believed that Carny is more likely to keep his campaign promises than the conservative leader, and his newcomer image gave him a trustworthy image.
Again, Trump comes to the scene. Poilievre is more likely to be the Trump of Canada, and he is aligned with the Trump government despite the concerning rhetoric. It could be a reason, the Canadians have taken lessons from Trump’s hypocritical promises— he won his election based on peace, and now is intensifying wars around the world. Therefore, it might be a reason the Canadian voters rejected the Conservatives and saved their liberal values. The Conservatives increased their seat count and vote share compared to the last election, based on some domestic issues like housing affordability though but lost the broader appeal to Carney.
