While 53 percent of Canadians still said they wanted change, 47 percent were more focused on the implications of Trump’s return to power.
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Longtime US Senator Bernie Sanders thanked President Donald Trump following the defeat of Canada’s Conservative Party in the country’s latest federal election. The Vermont senator, who has twice sought in losing effforts the Democratic nomination for president, took to X to tie the loss directly to Trump’s influence.
“Thank you, President Trump. Two months ago, your conservative friends were 25 points ahead in the polls. Yesterday, they lost,” Sanders wrote on X, in a post implying that Poilievre was somehow far right. "It only took 100 days for you to convince Canadians that the far right has no place in government. Americans will say the same in our next election."
Sanders’ comments come as Canada’s Liberal Party, now under the leadership of former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney, secured an upset fourth consecutive term. Just weeks before, the Conservatives were widely expected to win, with strong polling numbers and widespread dissatisfaction with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
But a series of unexpected developments flipped the race. Trudeau resigned after Trump’s return to the White House, amid rising US-Canada tensions. Trump had made repeated threats about Canada’s sovereignty and suggested the idea of the country becoming America’s “51st state.” The rhetoric, combined with anxieties over trade relations, shifted the campaign’s tone dramatically.
Meanwhile, the New Democratic Party (NDP), which had propped up Trudeau’s Liberal government through an informal agreement, collapsed under leader Jagmeet Singh. Singh announced plans to step down following the election.
On the eve of the vote, polling by Abacus showed a surge toward the Liberals. According to the final pre-election survey—conducted between April 24 and April 27—the ballot question had shifted from being about “change” to concerns about “stability.” While 53 percent of Canadians still said they wanted change, 47 percent were more focused on the implications of Trump’s return to power and the risks to Canada’s sovereignty and global standing.
That shift played to Carney’s strengths, with voters awarding the Liberals a double-digit lead on issues like representing Canada abroad, managing Trump, and supporting Ukraine. The Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, remained dominant on domestic issues like the cost of living, housing, and deficit reduction—but it wasn’t enough.
Poilievre not only lost the election but also lost his seat in Parliament, which he had held for nearly 20 years. The longtime MP for Carleton will likely attempt a return, with Conservative insiders expecting him to seek a by-election in another riding.
Commentators say Poilievre has no intention of resigning as party leader. “Yes, he lost the election… but whether he’s been defeated in his own backyard or not, Pierre Poilievre made it plain last night,” said political analyst Scott Reid, who served as director of communications under former Prime Minister Paul Martin.
Jamie Ellerton, a Conservative strategist, told CTV that Poilievre’s return to Parliament is expected. “He’ll find a seat to run in to get back into the House,” Ellerton said. However, he noted that Ottawa leaned heavily Liberal this time, unlike the Conservative-friendly rural ridings surrounding the capital.
Despite the loss, the Conservatives did made decent gains overall, though not enough to write home about. Te election result—driven by global instability and Trump—favored the message of from Carney’s Liberals.
“Thank you, President Trump. Two months ago, your conservative friends were 25 points ahead in the polls. Yesterday, they lost,” Sanders wrote on X, in a post implying that Poilievre was somehow far right. "It only took 100 days for you to convince Canadians that the far right has no place in government. Americans will say the same in our next election."
Sanders’ comments come as Canada’s Liberal Party, now under the leadership of former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney, secured an upset fourth consecutive term. Just weeks before, the Conservatives were widely expected to win, with strong polling numbers and widespread dissatisfaction with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
But a series of unexpected developments flipped the race. Trudeau resigned after Trump’s return to the White House, amid rising US-Canada tensions. Trump had made repeated threats about Canada’s sovereignty and suggested the idea of the country becoming America’s “51st state.” The rhetoric, combined with anxieties over trade relations, shifted the campaign’s tone dramatically.
Meanwhile, the New Democratic Party (NDP), which had propped up Trudeau’s Liberal government through an informal agreement, collapsed under leader Jagmeet Singh. Singh announced plans to step down following the election.
On the eve of the vote, polling by Abacus showed a surge toward the Liberals. According to the final pre-election survey—conducted between April 24 and April 27—the ballot question had shifted from being about “change” to concerns about “stability.” While 53 percent of Canadians still said they wanted change, 47 percent were more focused on the implications of Trump’s return to power and the risks to Canada’s sovereignty and global standing.
That shift played to Carney’s strengths, with voters awarding the Liberals a double-digit lead on issues like representing Canada abroad, managing Trump, and supporting Ukraine. The Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, remained dominant on domestic issues like the cost of living, housing, and deficit reduction—but it wasn’t enough.
Poilievre not only lost the election but also lost his seat in Parliament, which he had held for nearly 20 years. The longtime MP for Carleton will likely attempt a return, with Conservative insiders expecting him to seek a by-election in another riding.
Commentators say Poilievre has no intention of resigning as party leader. “Yes, he lost the election… but whether he’s been defeated in his own backyard or not, Pierre Poilievre made it plain last night,” said political analyst Scott Reid, who served as director of communications under former Prime Minister Paul Martin.
Jamie Ellerton, a Conservative strategist, told CTV that Poilievre’s return to Parliament is expected. “He’ll find a seat to run in to get back into the House,” Ellerton said. However, he noted that Ottawa leaned heavily Liberal this time, unlike the Conservative-friendly rural ridings surrounding the capital.
Despite the loss, the Conservatives did made decent gains overall, though not enough to write home about. Te election result—driven by global instability and Trump—favored the message of from Carney’s Liberals.
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