Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stressed the importance of unity in the country and stressed that Canada will never become part of the United States.
Prime Minister Carney's Liberal Party won the most seats in the Canadian parliamentary elections, but it is not yet known whether it will have to enter into a coalition with a smaller party, preliminary results show.
It seemed the Liberals could not win a majority until US President Donald Trump began attacking Canada's economy and threatening its sovereignty, suggesting it should become the 51st state of the US. Foreign policy has not dominated a Canadian election since 1988, when free trade with the US was the prevailing issue in that election.
In a victory speech to supporters in Ottawa, Carney stressed the importance of Canadian unity despite threats from Washington. He also said Canada and the United States have shared a mutually beneficial system since the end of World War II.
"We have overcome the shock of America's betrayal, but we must never forget the lessons," he said.
"As I have warned for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country. These are not empty threats. President (US Donald) Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never happen. But we must also acknowledge the reality that our world has fundamentally changed," he said.
During the campaign, Carney promised that every dollar the government collects from counter-tariffs on U.S. goods would go to Canadian workers affected by the trade war. He also said he planned to offer tax cuts for the middle class and restore immigration to sustainable levels.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poljevre had hoped the election would be a referendum on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose popularity has plummeted.
In a speech in which he admitted defeat, Poilievre promised to continue fighting for Canadians and their right to "an affordable home on a safe street."
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