Economic fears and US threats loom over Canada’s election day

Canadians are voting on Monday in a closely watched election shaped by trade disputes, economic turmoil, and annexation threats from the United States.

Voters will decide whether interim Prime Minister Mark Carney should secure a full four-year mandate or if it is time for the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, to return to power after nearly a decade of Liberal rule.

Polling stations opened at 8:30 am local time (7 am ET) in Newfoundland and Labrador, kicking off a day that could reshape Canada's political future.

The campaign has been overshadowed by Canada’s increasingly fraught relationship with the United States. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods and provocative comments about absorbing Canada as the "51st state" have sparked widespread outrage.

"I reject any attempts to weaken Canada, to wear us down, to break us so that America can own us," Carney told reporters in March. “We are masters in our own home.”

The election contest is mainly between Carney’s Liberals and Poilievre’s Conservatives. Carney, a former central banker, took office in March after Justin Trudeau resigned amid plummeting polls.

Since assuming leadership, Carney has maintained retaliatory tariffs against the US and sought to position himself as a steady hand during economic volatility.

"I understand how the world works," Carney said in a podcast interview in October, pledging to strengthen Canada’s economy through new infrastructure and clean energy projects.

Conservative leader Poilievre has framed the election as a fight between ordinary Canadians and entrenched political elites. He has vowed to slash taxes, reduce government spending, and boost resource development.

"Conservatives will axe taxes, build homes, fix the budget," Poilievre said at a March rally, promising to unlock Canada’s economic potential.

Early voter turnout hit a record high, with Elections Canada reporting that 7.3 million people voted ahead of election day, up 25% from 2021.

"I voted on the first day of advance polls and I waited 45 minutes," said Kristina Ennis of St. John’s, Newfoundland. "I know people who waited over an hour."

With Canada’s political landscape deeply polarised, Monday’s vote could mark a turning point in its national identity and its future relationship with the United States.