Trump's fresh threat looms over Canada's polling day with Carney poised to benefit

Canadians head to the polls today in a federal election overshadowed by fury at Donald Trump's threats to the country's sovereignty and fears over his escalating trade war.

- Leyland Cecco

In the final days of a month-long campaign - described by all party leaders as the most consequential general election in a lifetime - Trump again reinserted himself into the national discussion, with fresh threats to annex the country. "We don't need anything from Canada. And I say the only way this thing really works is for Canada to become a state," he told Time on Friday.

Overshadowing the final day of the campaign was a deadly attack at a bustling street festival in Vancouver that the prime minister, Mark Carney, addressed in sombre remarks.

"Those families are living every family's nightmare," Carney said after a driver killed at least 11 people and injured dozens more at the Filipino community's Lapu Lapu festival. "I know that I join all Canadians in mourning with you. I know that Canadians are united with you."

As recently as January, Canadian pollsters and pundits struggled to find fresh ways to describe the bleak prospects for then prime minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal party. The party trailed the rival Conservatives by up to 27 points in some polls.