Brexit hating former bank boss Carney wins Canadian election – infuriates Trump | World | News

Brexit bashing former Bank of England boss Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has won the election in Canada, exit polls suggest. The victory will ramp up tensions with America coming weeks after Donald Trump said he wants to make the country the 51st US state.

Carney, 60, took over as prime minister after Justin Trudeau stepped down earlier this year, and beat the leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre, according to projections. However, it is not yet known whether the Liberals have fallen short of being able to form a majority government.

In an assessment that will infuriate Trump, Liberals looked to be heading for a crushing defeat until the American president brutally attacked the state of Canada’s economy and threatened its sovereignty, suggesting it should become the federal union’s 51st state. Trump’s words infuriated Canadians and stoked a surge in nationalism that stoked a resurgence in fortunes and seemingly secured a fourth-straight term in power.

It comes a little over one month since Carney was elected leader of the Liberal Party and launched an eviscerating verbal assault on the Trump White House, effectively declaring economic war on America, saying a “country we can no longer trust” is hellbent on destroying their way of life.

And taking aim squarely at Mr Trump, he boasted: “Americans should make no mistake. In trade, as in hockey, Canada will win.”

He added: “The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country. Think about it. If they succeed, they would destroy our way of life. In America, health care is big business. In Canada, it is a right. America is a melting pot. Canada is mosaic. America is not Canada. And Canada will never, ever be a part of America in any way, shape or form.”

His blistering infuriated and angered Trump as his nerve was questioned in front of the world.

The attack bore similarities to his Brexit interventions which angered millions in the UK.

In 2013 he became the first non-UK citizen to run the Bank of England since it was founded in 1694.

His appointment, made by former Tory Chancellor George Osborne, came after Canada recovered from the 2008 financial crisis faster than many other countries.

But despite the bank being independent he waded into Brexit, warning that a yes vote in the 2016 referendum to leave the EU could tip the UK economy into recession.

Trudeau announced his resignation in January and Carney won in a landslide, winning 85.9​% of Liberal Party votes.

Earlier this year the US slapped 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, steel and aluminium products, and 10% on energy imports in a move that was met with retaliatory tariffs amid claims by Ottawa that the US wanted to collapse the country’s economy.

In his tub-jumping eve-of-ballot address Carney said: “These are dark days, dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust. We are getting over the shock but let us never forget the lessons. We have to look after ourselves and we have to look out for each other. We need to pull together in the tough days ahead.

“Donald Trump, as we know, has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell, and how we make a living.

“He’s attacking Canadian families, workers and businesses and we cannot let him succeed and we won’t.”

Even as Canada grappled with the fallout from a weekend attack at a Vancouver street festival, which killed at least 11 people – including a five-year-old girl, Trump took to social media saying he was on their ballot and repeating his incendiary claims the country should become America’s 51st state.

His truculence infuriated many and saw tens of thousands of families cancel US holidays, refuse to buy American goods, and was a factory in a record 7.3 million Canadians casting ballots before election day.

Carney said: “The Americans want to break us so they can own us. Those aren’t just words. That’s what’s at risk.”