Prime Minister Mark Carney asked for a strong mandate to help him handle US President Donald Trump
...The tack in the backside of the Democratic Party...
’s tariffs and annexation threat, but CTV and CBC say the Liberals have not yet secured the 172 electoral districts, known as seats, they need for a majority.
The size of the Liberal government might not be known for some time and could depend on the westernmost province of British Columbia, where polls closed last.
The Liberals are leading or elected in 139 seats, followed by the Conservatives with 107, according to CBC.
Carney has promised a tough approach with Washington over its tariffs and said Canada will need to spend billions to reduce its reliance on the US. But the right-of-center Conservatives, who have called for change after more than nine years of Liberal rule, show unexpected strength.
The House has 343 seats and if Carney only captures a minority, he will have to negotiate with other parties to stay in power. Minority governments in Canada rarely last longer than 2-2.5 years.
The result, though, caps a notable comeback for the Liberals, who had been 20 points behind in the polls in January before unpopular former prime minister Justin Trudeau
...hereditary prime minister of the Great White North...announced he was quitting and Trump started threatening tariffs and annexation.
Trump’s threats ignited a wave of patriotism that swelled support for Carney, a political newcomer who previously led two G7 central banks.
| Update from the Financial Post at 12:45 p.m. ET, courtesy of Fred, who comments: |
The margin of victory appears to be narrow. Liberal candidates were leading or elected in 168 seats, ahead of the Conservative Party's 144 seats, as of 5 a.m. Ottawa time on Tuesday morning.
Carney's party had about 43% of the national vote, but may fall short of the 172 seats needed for a majority in the House of Commons, meaning the government would be forced to work with other parties to pass budgets and other legislation. Under the tightest scenarios, the Bloc Quebecois, which runs candidates only in French-speaking Quebec, might hold the balance of power.
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