Newscasts - Canada's Liberals mount a comeback amid Trump threats, polls show
27/02/2025 24:33
Click the following link to watch video: https://share.newscasts.refinitiv.com/link?entryId=1_qckk9iqe&referenceId=tag:reuters.com,2025:newsml_RW461326022025RP1_K15&pageId=Newscasts Source: 'Reuters - General news videos' Description: Canada's ruling Liberals, who a few weeks ago looked certain to lose an election this year, are mounting a major comeback amid the threat of U.S. tariffs and are tied with their rival Conservatives, according to three new polls. Arrthy Thayaparan reports. Short Link: https://refini.tv/41eKHIt Video Transcript: Donald Trump. Mr. Trump. President Trump. The US President was a dominant topic at a debate between candidates vying to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader and Canada's prime minister on Tuesday night. And recent polls show the Liberals, who a few weeks ago looked certain to lose an election this year, are mounting a major comeback amid Trump's threat of tariffs and comments that he wants to annex Canada as the 51st US state. During the second of two leadership debates on Tuesday night, candidates called for tough measures against the US. Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney: We will never, ever be part of the United States in any way, shape or form. We have to recognize that the Donald Trump of today is different than the Donald Trump of several years ago. Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland said Trump posed the gravest challenge the country has faced since the Second World War. If I am prime minister, I will not flinch. We will retaliate. If you hit us, we will hit back. An Ipsos survey showed the left-leaning Liberals have 38% public support, while the opposition right-of-center Conservatives have 36%, a jump for the Liberals of more than 25 points in just six weeks. A poll from EKOS showed a similar result, while one from Leger put the Conservatives slightly ahead, 38-35. The results of the three polls, all released Tuesday, indicate that if an election were held now, the Liberals and Conservatives would both fall short of a majority government and would need the help of a smaller party to govern. Until recently, the official opposition Conservatives looked set for an easy win in the next federal election, which must be held by October 20. The Conservative strategy had long been to attack unpopular Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. But in January Trudeau said he was resigning after more than nine years in power. And the Liberals have run ads comparing the Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to Trump. Poilievre's office was not immediately available for comment. The Liberal Party will choose its new leader on March 9. The winner will have the option of calling an election immediately.