Canada’s Liberal party secures historic election win

Canada’s Liberal party has won a fourth term in office, capping a miraculous political resurrection and marking a landmark victory for the former central banker and political novice Mark Carney as he prepares to face off against Donald Trump.

Mirroring a theme of the campaign, Carney used his victory speech to claim Trump wanted to “break us, so that America can own us”.

“That will never, ever happen,” he said to shouts from the crowd.

Carney gave a stark assessment of a world order once defined by an integrated global trading system with the US at the centre, saying such a system was over, and he pledged to reshape Canada’s relationships with other nations.

“We are over the shock over American betrayal. But we will never forget the lessons,” he said.

Carney praised other party leaders for campaigns that he said had strengthened the country’s democracy. “Let’s put an end to the division and anger of the past. We are all Canadian and my government will work for and with everyone.”

Earlier in the evening as results from Canada’s Atlantic provinces and vote-rich Quebec and Ontario came in, supporters at the Liberals’ election night party erupted in cheers as it became clear the party would win.

It was not immediately clear if the Liberals would have enough seats for a majority government. If it falls short it would need the support of political rivals to govern.

After a narrow victory in the previous federal election, the Liberals relied on the leftwing New Democratic party to help it pass legislation. Monday’s vote appeared likely to produce a similar result, with the Liberals and the NDP together holding enough seats to pass legislation.

For the Liberals, the win marks a remarkable recovery for a party that was, until recently, on track for electoral devastation. Carney’s predecessor as leader, Justin Trudeau, served as prime minister for nearly 10 years but the twilight of his leadership was marked by repeated threats of mutiny, bitter feuding and a fed-up electorate._The Guardian