Part 3/8:
Several factors contributed to the Liberal Party’s resurgence. The primary driver was the political implications of external pressures, particularly those stemming from former U.S. President Donald Trump. His alarmingly aggressive rhetoric, which included threats of trade wars and calls for Canada to become the 51st state, shifted the focus of the election from local issues to a referendum on leadership capable of confronting such an external threat.
Evidence from polling indicated that Canadians preferred Carney over Polyv to handle negotiations with Trump; 49% favored Carney, while only 33% backed Polyv. This shift rendered Polyv’s confrontational style less effective as it appeared excessively divisive amid a right-wing threat to national sovereignty.