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

The Canada-U.S. trade war and U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about annexing Canada seem to have been major factors in Monday's federal election, both nationally and in the Hamilton and Niagara areas.

Prime Minister Mark Carney will lead a minority Liberal government. In the Hamilton-Niagara area, election night saw some significant changes, including the defeat of Hamilton Centre NDP incumbent Matthew Green, and the victory of Liberal Aslam Rana in that riding.  

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

Green said there's not much he thinks his party could have done and that local issues were "lost to a national headwind." 

"That moment where [Trump] started talking about annexation and the 51st state completely upended the election," Green said. "We just couldn't break through the noise.

Trump has spoken about his own impact on the race, saying he turned what looked like a surefire Conservative win into a close call. Polls showed national support for the Liberals rose as support for the Conservatives fell during this recent period of tension. 

Early into the 26-day campaign, some voters told CBC Hamilton the economic impacts of U.S. tariffs were top of mind, but they still wanted to hear from candidates about other pressing issues. 

Now, local candidates say that while voters did raise other topics, Trump often overshadowed them. 

"People were talking at the doors, obviously, about Donald Trump and our relationship with the United States," said Liberal Chris Bittle, who was re-elected in the riding of St. Catharines. "This is a crisis that we haven't seen where our very sovereignty is under threat."

"That is the primary concern of residents of St. Catharines, especially since we're so close to the American border. That really coloured everything in terms of the election," he said.  

Karina Gould, another Liberal incumbent projected to win in her riding of Burlington, said Trump and the trade war are the first challenges she'll tackle.

"We need to make sure that we are protecting Canada's economy and we're protecting our sovereignty. That is the most important thing for us to do right now. And then, of course, investing in the economy, building up and strengthening our industries."

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

Winners say affordability still a top concern

Conservative Larry Brock, re-elected in Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations, described the Liberals' focus on Trump as a message of "fear" and his party's as one of "hope." 

"Despite what the Liberal Party says, that the primary issue is effectively dealing with Donald Trump, I was not hearing that at the door," Brock said. 

Brock said he heard about affordability, food insecurity, housing, crime and mental health. 

In Niagara West, Dean Allison was re-elected for the Conservatives. He also said affordability was the top priority he heard, adding he hopes to work with municipalities to speed up homebuilding. 

Liberal John-Paul Danko, winner in Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, said he's also keen to get to work on housing.

"The insight that I have in understanding the investments that we need in housing in Hamilton but also in the economy in the city Hamilton is something that I'm excited to bring to Ottawa," the city councillor said.