Mark Carney‘s Liberal Party has staged a remarkable comeback as it has bagged 168 seats, just four shy of the 172 needed for an absolute majority, in the recently-held Federal Elections in Canada. The electoral victory has helped the Liberals to come to power for a fourth consecutive term. On the other hand, the pro-Khalistan New Democratic Party (NDP) managed to win just seven seats and Jagmeet Singh resigned as the party chief, taking responsibility for the electoral debacle. The Indian-origin Singh also failed to retain his own seat.

The political situation was completely different in Canada a couple of months ago when Justin Pierre James Trudeau resigned as the Prime Minister (on March 14, 2025) and also as the leader of the Liberal Party due to his failure in tackling “internal battles“. Then, Carney took charge of the party and became the Prime Minister. It may be noted that the US-Canada ties deteriorated after Donald John Trump returned as the US President. Trump not only announced high tariffs on several Canadian products, but also hinted at annexing Canada, calling the neighbouring country as 51st province of the US.

Taking advantage of the situation, Carney portrayed himself as a troubleshooter and also managed to convince his countrymen that he was the only one who could protect the national interests from President Trump’s aggressive attitude. The former banker further assured people that he would rescue Canada from the turbulent economic situation. The convinced Canadian voters have placed their trust in Carney and his Liberal Party. Although the Conservatives were in a better position ahead of the election, they finished second with 144 seats (in the 343-seat House of Commons).

According to political analysts, Carney influenced his countrymen with his Canada Strong message, showcasing his ability to counter Trump. Although a late shift in the US President’s rhetoric allowed the Conservatives to close the gap, the Liberals managed to win the election. Now, Carney is all set to navigate a minority Parliament as he needs support from other parties to enact his agenda amid economic uncertainty.

Before the election, many thought that the NDP could emerge as the kingmaker. Had they done well, their support would have been important to the Liberals or Conservatives for forming a government. However, the NDP has lost national party status as it has failed to secure the minimum 12% of votes. Interestingly, Pierre Marcel Poilievre (47), the prime ministerial candidate of the Conservative Party, also lost his seat in the Ontario District of Carleton to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy. His electoral defeat has not only sparked a leadership crisis in the Conservative Party, but also widened the split in the party. “We didn’t quite get over the finish line yet. We know that change is needed, but change is hard to come by. It takes time. It takes work,” stressed Poilievre while addressing a press conference.

Meanwhile, Carney has sent a strong message to Washington DC, stating: “Canada now finds itself at a hinge moment of history. Our old relationship of integration with the US is now over. We are over the shock of the American betrayal.” He added: “America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country. These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never, ever happen.”

The India-Canada ties touched a new low during the prime ministership of Trudeau after the former Prime Minister said in 2024 that there was credible intelligence, linking the Government of India to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, Carney hinted ahead of the election that he would normalise relations with New Delhi. The Narendra Modi Administration has welcomed the victory of the Liberals in Canada, expressing hope that Carney would keep his promise.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das