Trump's tough talk might help Liberal Mark Carney win a full term as Canada's prime minister
World
“Timing is everything in politics and Carney entered the political arena at a most favorable time”
TORONTO (AP) — Mark Carney’s political career is only months old, and it’s already been a roller-coaster ride. The former central banker appeared destined to become one of Canada’s shortest-serving prime ministers until President Donald Trump picked a fight with the U.S.'s northern neighbor.
Carney, who was sworn in on March 14 following Justin Trudeau’s resignation and a Liberal Party leadership race, now leads in the polls heading into the April 28 parliamentary elections, marking a dramatic turnaround for a party that seemed headed for a crushing defeat until the American president started attacking Canada’s economy and sovereignty almost daily.
Trump’s trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st state have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in Canadian nationalism that has helped Liberals flip the election narrative. In a mid-January poll by Nanos, Liberals trailed the Conservative Party by 47% to 20%. In the latest Nanos poll, which was conducted during a three-day period that ended April 19, the Liberals led by six percentage points. The January poll had a margin of error 3.1 points while the latest poll had a 2.7-point margin.
“Timing is everything in politics and Carney entered the political arena at a most favorable time,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.
Carney’s opponent is Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, a career politician and firebrand populist who has campaigned with Trump-like swagger, even taking a page from the “America First” president by adopting the slogan “Canada First.”
“This election is a test about whether Canada will embrace or reject populism,” Béland said, suggesting many voters view Carney as reassuring because of his experience and calm.
“Without the Trump effect, the Conservatives would probably be in a much stronger position in the polls right now. If Trump wasn’t currently in the White House, it would be hard to imagine the Liberals being the favorites in this federal race, considering how unpopular they were just a few months ago.”
