'Bogeyman' Donald Trump influenced voters in Hamilton and Niagara, say winning candidates

Justin Chandler · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 30, 2025 11:06 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

The Canada-U.S. commercialized warfare and American President Donald Trump's comments astir annexing Canada look to person been large factors successful Monday's national election, some nationally and successful the Hamilton and Niagara areas.

Prime Minister Mark Carney volition pb a minority Liberal government. In the Hamilton-Niagara area, predetermination nighttime saw immoderate important changes, including the decision of Hamilton Centre NDP incumbent Matthew Green, and the triumph of Liberal Aslam Rana successful that riding.  

"I was campaigning against the bogeyman of Donald Trump," Green told reporters aft a late-night speech.

Green said there's not overmuch helium thinks his enactment could person done and that section issues were "lost to a nationalist headwind." 

"That infinitesimal wherever [Trump] started talking astir annexation and the 51st authorities wholly upended the election," Green said. "We conscionable couldn't interruption done the noise.

Trump has spoken astir his ain interaction connected the race, saying helium turned what looked similar a surefire Conservative triumph into a adjacent call. Polls showed nationalist enactment for the Liberals roseate arsenic enactment for the Conservatives fell during this caller play of tension. 

Early into the 26-day campaign, immoderate voters told CBC Hamilton the economical impacts of U.S. tariffs were apical of mind, but they inactive wanted to perceive from candidates astir different pressing issues. 

Now, section candidates accidental that portion voters did rise different topics, Trump often overshadowed them. 

"People were talking astatine the doors, obviously, astir Donald Trump and our narration with the United States," said Liberal Chris Bittle, who was re-elected successful the riding of St. Catharines. "This is simply a situation that we haven't seen wherever our precise sovereignty is nether threat."

"That is the superior interest of residents of St. Catharines, particularly since we're truthful adjacent to the American border. That truly coloured everything successful presumption of the election," helium said.  

Karina Gould, different Liberal incumbent projected to triumph successful her riding of Burlington, said Trump and the commercialized warfare are the archetypal challenges she'll tackle.

"We request to marque definite that we are protecting Canada's system and we're protecting our sovereignty. That is the astir important happening for america to bash close now. And then, of course, investing successful the economy, gathering up and strengthening our industries."

Rana said helium thought the mode Carney "stood against the U.S.'s unjustified tariffs" appealed to voters. 

Winners accidental affordability inactive a apical concern

Conservative Larry Brock, re-elected successful Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, described the Liberals' absorption connected Trump arsenic a connection of "fear" and his party's arsenic 1 of "hope." 

"Despite what the Liberal Party says, that the superior contented is efficaciously dealing with Donald Trump, I was not proceeding that astatine the door," Brock said. 

Brock said helium heard astir affordability, nutrient insecurity, housing, transgression and intelligence health. 

In Niagara West, Dean Allison was re-elected for the Conservatives. He besides said affordability was the apical precedence helium heard, adding helium hopes to enactment with municipalities to velocity up homebuilding. 

Liberal John-Paul Danko, victor successful Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, said he's besides keen to get to enactment connected housing.

"The penetration that I person successful knowing the investments that we request successful lodging successful Hamilton but besides successful the system successful the metropolis Hamilton is thing that I'm excited to bring to Ottawa," the metropolis councillor said.