Canadians vote in pivotal polls amid US tensions

TORONTO: In a political atmosphere thick with anxiety over Canada’s sovereignty and future direction, millions of Canadians head to the polls on Monday in a snap federal election that could reshape the nation’s domestic and foreign policies for years to come.

Triggered by a leadership change at the top of the ruling Liberal Party, and intensified by a newly aggressive stance from the United States, this election has evolved far beyond traditional party lines into a referendum on Canada’s identity itself.