Canada’s conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has lost his seat in parliament after a two-decade tenure.
It’s a stunning humiliation for Poilievre, who had an over 90 percent chance of becoming prime minister back in January.
Poilievre, a career politician, campaigned with Trump-like bravado, even taking a page from the ‘America First’ president by adopting the slogan ‘Canada First.’
But his similarities to Trump may have ultimately cost him and his party in Monday’s election, as the nation rallied behind the liberals after president Trump launched a campaign against the Canadian government.
Now, Prime Minister Mark Carney, a banker and outsider, is projected to continue to rule Canada after being declared winner of Monday’s elections.
The Liberals looked headed for a crushing defeat until the American president started attacking Canada’s economy and threatening its sovereignty, suggesting it should become the 51st state.
Trump’s actions infuriated Canadians and stoked a surge in nationalism that helped the Liberals flip the election narrative and win a fourth-straight term in power.
The loss of his seat representing his Ottawa district during Monday’s election capped a stunning decline in fortunes for the firebrand Poilievre, who only a few months ago appeared to be a shoo-in to become Canada’s next prime minister
Banker Mark Carney and the Liberals cleared a big hurdle by winning a fourth-straight term, but they have daunting challenges ahead
Poilievre, hoped to make the election a referendum on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose popularity declined toward the end of his decade in power as food and housing prices rose.
But Trump attacked, Trudeau resigned and Carney, a two-time central banker, became the Liberal Party’s leader and prime minister.
In a concession speech and with his own House of Commons seat still in doubt, Poilievre vowed to keep fighting for Canadians.
‘We are cognizant of the fact that we didn’t get over the finish line yet,’ Poilievre told supporters in Ottawa.
‘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 can still lead the Conservative Party.
Even with Canadians grappling with the fallout from a deadly weekend attack at a Vancouver street festival, Trump was trolling them on election day, suggesting again on social media that Canada should become the 51st state and saying he was on their ballot.
He also erroneously claimed that the U.S. subsidizes Canada, writing, ‘It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!’
Poilievre is joined by his wife Anaida Poilievre as he speaks to supporters after losing the Canadian Federal Election on April 29
Trump’s rhetoric has infuriated Canadians, leading many to cancel US vacations, refuse to buy American goods and possibly even vote early.
Meanwhile a record 7.3 million Canadians cast ballots before election day.
The Liberals were projected to win more of Parliament’s 343 seats than the Conservatives. It wasn’t immediately clear if they would win an outright majority — at least 172 — or would need to rely on a smaller party to pass legislation and remain in power.