A Turning Tide: From a Liberal downfall to a Conservative Waterloo

How the Electoral Landscape Changed in Canada During the Last Four Months

By Yiannis Damellos

04/14/2025

It was the 21st of December when President-elect Donald Trump started raving against Justin Trudeau and the Liberals in Canada, asking for his head on a plate and calling him names. Immediately, I published my first article, infuriated with the winner of the American elections for trying to meddle in Canadian politics and rig the upcoming elections on behalf of the CPC. I was not alone. Within 24 hours, every decent Canadian journalist had done the same.

Soon, the public expressed the same sentiments, and a sense of pride in our Canadian identity began to grow. We are fundamentally different from Trump as a people, and we take pride in our accomplishments as a society. I remember writing that Trump wanted to steal our wealth and that he would do anything in his power to achieve that. Back then, the Conservatives in Canada were the absolute favorites to win the upcoming elections; there was not a single pollster who could predict the turn of events, no matter what some Americans may try to tell you. What changed the landscape completely was the first interview of Mark Carney on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. It was that interview, and what followed it, that persuaded many Canadians, including me, that he was the right man for Trudeau's job.

You see, Carney is an educated man; a bourgeois man, yes, a very wealthy man, yes. But he is also a man of knowledge and experience in economics. The former head of the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, someone who could pulverize the American clown with a simple remark. He has an impressive resume and showed up at the right time when we really needed him. There was a lot of talk about him during those first two weeks of January, and soon that word of mouth became a river in the polls. It was not the work of one journalist; it was rather a common feeling that enveloped the populace. We needed Carney to lead. He was an outsider in the world of politics, but he was an insider in the economy, and that's what mattered most. Plus, he was photogenic, a good speaker, a civilized man who looked decent and had a vision, multifaceted and positive. He was not trying to hide from the media or manipulate his interviews, and he did not look like a man with a hidden agenda. Most of all, he did not talk or act like Trump, as Poilievre, his opponent, did; soon, all these elements became the impetus for his poll domination.

So, January was a pivotal month for Carney, showing us what he was capable of. But it was Trump who screwed up Poilievre's chances for election, and he still is the main reason Poilievre may lose the upcoming elections. As Donald Trump talked more and more about tariffs and annexing Canada, we all watched the Conservative Party’s 25-point lead evaporate.

I pledged to vote for Carney and tried to bring along as many people as I could. And let me say here that I am a unionist, a socialist, and an independent journalist. It is against my principles to favor any party. Yet, this time, I felt inside me that this election was different and I had to do something about it. We have, no matter what, to elect someone who can beat Trump in his game, a person who will fight him and protect the interests of our country, not a look-alike populist marionette.

I understood then, as I do now, the compelling reasons why so many leftist voters have chosen to support Carney in this critical election. This phenomenon represents a burgeoning anti-Trump sentiment, which is entirely justified, given the American president's divisive tactics and pervasive rhetoric. However, the enthusiasm for the NDP, the Greens, or any other leftist party must be tempered with caution. Casting a vote for anyone else than Carney risks fragmenting the anti-Trump electorate, potentially siphoning away crucial support from him and inadvertently paving the way for a Conservative victory.

The importance of unity among those who oppose Trump’s ideologies cannot be overstated. In a political landscape characterized by polarization, a split in the anti-Trump vote could resonate with disastrous consequences, allowing a candidate who embodies the very traits we seek to reject to seize power. Therefore, it is imperative to prioritize strategic voting; aligning behind Carney not only strengthens our collective stance against Trumpism but also consolidates the opposition necessary to protect the values we hold dear as Canadians.

I know that Poilievre has been nurturing his populist forces quite effectively. But I also know that he depends on classic conservative misinformation and ultra-right-wing rhetoric. Yet, as Trump poses an existential threat to our sovereignty, Poilievre has had a hard time navigating his agenda and passing his message to the voters who have not yet committed to whom they are going to vote for. Even his core constituency—a strong 25 percent—who, in terms of ideology, maybe Trump supporters, think it would be a bad idea for us to become the 51st state. Some of them will vote for Carney as well.

I wish Carney good luck. He is gonna need it. I trust my instincts more than I trust politicians, but I know these elections are different. Someone has to stand up against Trump and his hunger for domination. In this pivotal moment, we stand at a crossroads, faced with the imperative to safeguard our nation from the predatory forces reminiscent of Trumpism. We must collectively become a bastion against the tyranny of divisive politics, ensuring that we play a vital role in thwarting the ambitions that threaten to undermine our values and principles. 

While I yearn for the Left to rise to this monumental challenge, I must concede that they may not be the vessel for this crucial endeavor. Therefore, when presented with the choice between four years of an anti-Trump Liberal administration and four years of a pro-Trump conservative regime, my allegiance lies firmly with the former. It is my fervent hope that my fellow Canadians recognize the stakes at hand and join me in this resolve, for the future of our country depends on a united stand against those who seek to erode the very fabric of our Canadian identity.