Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged on Tuesday to beat the United States in Donald Trump's trade war after winning Canada's election and leading his Liberal Party to another term in power.
Congratulatory messages from world leaders have begun pouring in, with countries including China and India saying they would welcome cooperation with Carney's government.
Following a campaign dominated by Trump's tariffs and annexation threats, Carney promised to chart "a new path forward" in a world "fundamentally changed" by a United States that is newly hostile to free trade.
"We are over the shock of the American betrayal, but we should never forget the lessons," said Carney, who led the central banks of Canada and Britain before entering politics earlier this year.
"We will win this trade war and build the strongest economy in the G7," he said in his victory speech.
"As I've been warning for months, 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," he said.
Carney's Liberals secured control of Canada's parliament but may fall just short of a majority.
That will require making deals with smaller parties but still marks an extraordinary comeback for the Liberals, who earlier this year looked headed for an electoral wipeout.
Pierre Poilievre's Conservative Party had been on track to win the vote, but Trump's attacks, combined with the departure of unpopular former prime minister Justin Trudeau, transformed the race.
Carney, who replaced Trudeau as prime minister just last month, convinced voters that his experience managing economic crises made him the ideal candidate to defy Trump.
Poilievre, whose party was on track to form a strong opposition, conceded defeat on Tuesday and promised to work with the Liberals to counter Trump.
Mark Carney has never held elected office before and was only appointed as Canada's prime minister last month. Source: AAP / Sean Kilpatrick/AP
'Closest of allies'
British leader Keir Starmer congratulated Carney and said he looked forward to strengthening bilateral ties, adding that the two countries are "the closest of allies, partners and friends."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said she anticipated working with Ottawa to "defend our shared democratic values, promote multilateralism, and champion free and fair trade."
China's foreign ministry said it was "willing to develop China-Canada relations on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit."
The two countries have had a rocky relationship, with Ottawa and Beijing currently embroiled in a trade spat over tech and agriculture exports.
Meanwhile, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was keen to grow relations with Ottawa and "unlock greater opportunities for our people."
Canada has accused New Delhi of being involved in the assassination of a Canadian who campaigned for Sikhs to secede from India — a claim which Modi's government has denied.
Trump's attacks on Canada "have really mobilised Canadians," Liberal lawmaker and a member of Carney's cabinet, Steven Guilbeault, told the CBC.
He said Canadians saw Carney as "someone who has experience with the economy."
Carney led the Bank of Canada through the 2008-2009 financial crisis and headed the Bank of England through the turmoil surrounding the 2016 Brexit vote.
Trudeau's departure
Trudeau's departure was also crucial to the Liberal win, which marked one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Canadian political history.
On 6 January, the day Trudeau announced he would resign, the Conservatives led the Liberals by more than 20 points in most polls, as voter anger over soaring costs mounted after Trudeau's decade in power.
But Carney replacing Trudeau, combined with nationwide unease about Trump, transformed the race.
Carney, 60, distanced himself from Trudeau throughout the campaign.
He said Trudeau did not focus enough on growing Canada's economy and scrapped a controversial tax on carbon emissions that left many voters seething.
For Poilievre, a 45-year-old who has been in parliament for two decades, the outcome marks a stinging defeat.
He was criticised for the at-times muted anger he directed towards Trump, but said he wanted to keep the focus on domestic concerns.
