Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has focused his election campaign on domestic concerns like soaring living costs
AFP

The leader of Canada's Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, lost his own seat in Parliament on Monday as the party saw a broader defeat unexpected just months ago and marked by U.S. President Donald Trump's rhetoric about annexing the country.

Poilievre had represented Carleton, his Ottawa district, since 2004. He lost it against Bruce Fanjoy, the Liberal candidate. A recognized community volunteer, Fanjoy's candidacy was seen as one with slim chances of success, but he ended up prevailing.

"We know that change is needed, but change is hard to come by. It takes time. It takes work. And that's why we have to learn the lessons of tonight — so that we can have an even better result the next time Canadians decide the future of the country," Poilievre told supporters on Monday night.

Poilievre can still lead the Conservative Party, but his standing is dramatically different than before Trump took office, when he was widely seen as the next leader of the country. He had embraced Trump's rhetoric, adopting the slogan "Canada First" and blasting the "woke ideology."

However, as Trump took an aggressive turn against the country, wrongly claiming the U.S. is "subsidizing" it for hundreds of billions of dollars and that it would be better off as its 51st state, the political scenario was turned abruptly. Most of the country's political scene rejected the notion, and the Liberals' chances of continuing in power skyrocketed.

Poilievre shifted his rhetoric, criticizing Trump and telling him on Monday to "stay out of our election." The statement came after the U.S. president said Canadians should actually "elect" him as he had the "strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses."

Poilievre, in turn, said "Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state." "Today Canadians can vote for change so we can strengthen our country, stand on our own two feet and stand up to America from a position of strength," he added.

The shift was not enough to prevail at the ballot box. Carney called for unity to face the U.S. and warned that the global order known for decades has ended. "As I've been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country," Carney said.

These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so America can own us. That will never ... ever happen. But we also must recognize the reality that our world has fundamentally changed," he added.

Originally published on Latin Times

Canada Elections