Mon Apr 28 03:10:25 UTC 2025: ## Deadly Attack Casts Shadow Over Tight Canadian Election

**OTTAWA** – A deadly car-ramming attack in Vancouver overshadowed the final hours of campaigning in Canada’s closely contested federal election on Sunday. Eleven people were killed and dozens injured when a driver plowed into a crowd at a Filipino street festival. The incident briefly shifted national focus away from the looming threat of US President Donald Trump’s trade policies and annexation rhetoric, which have galvanized Canadian voters.

Prime Minister Mark Carney, leading the Liberal Party, paused his campaign to address the nation, expressing grief and offering condolences to the victims’ families. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre also condemned the attack.

Opinion polls suggest a narrow lead for the Liberals, with Prime Minister Carney benefiting from his strong stance against Trump’s aggressive actions towards Canada. While Poilievre has focused on rising living costs under the previous Liberal government led by Justin Trudeau, the Nanos poll shows the Liberals holding a 4.1 percentage point lead (43% to 38.9%) nationally. This is despite a slight widening of the gap since Saturday.

The election, taking place amidst high tensions with the US, sees Carney, a former central banker, vying for a mandate against Poilievre, a two-decade veteran of Parliament. The outcome hinges on several key battlegrounds, particularly British Columbia.

Advance polls saw record-breaking turnout, with nearly 2 million Canadians voting early. Polls will be open from 9 am to 9 pm local time on Monday, with results expected to start coming in from the Atlantic provinces shortly after closing, and concluding in the Pacific time zone. The approximately 28 million registered voters will determine the outcome across 343 ridings (up from 338 in 2021). While a Liberal win is likely based on current polling data, securing a majority government remains uncertain, depending on the performance of smaller parties like the NDP and Bloc Quebecois.

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