Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is celebrating his election victory, but he admits that "daunting" challenges await, including handling US President Donald Trump and reshaping the economy.
"There is going to be a very short honeymoon," Marci Surkes, a former advisor to Mr Carney's predecessor, Justin Trudeau, said.
The new leader acknowledged in a victory speech that the coming months will be difficult, but said he has the experience to lead Canada through tumultuous times.
"It is a time to be bold to meet this crisis," Mr Carney told a cheering crowd in Ottawa after the Liberal party's comeback against the Conservatives.
"The challenges ahead are daunting. Big changes, like the ones we're experiencing, are always worrying.
"We have a long way to go, but I have confidence, I have confidence in you, I have confidence in Canada."
Mr Carney will first have to figure out how to deal with threats from President Trump, who marked election day by again insisting that Canada should become the 51st US state.
He will also have to roll out measures to transform the Canadian economy to make it less reliant on the United States, its largest but no longer reliable trading partner.
The nation of 41 million people sends three-quarters of its exports to the US and tariffs imposed by Mr Trump - particularly on the automotive and steel sectors - are already damaging the economy.
Since President Trump "is trying to fundamentally restructure the American economy," Canada will have to "reinvent" its own, Mr Carney declared during the campaign, warning that the time for close cooperation with the United States is over.
He has already signalled the need to remove trade barriers between Canadian provinces and to strengthen ties with Europe - where he made his first foreign trip after replacing Mr Trudeau in March.
But these problems cannot be solved quickly, and Canada faces "huge critical infrastructure challenges in terms of being able to even move our commodities to markets," Ms Surkes noted.
Opening new trade corridors will "need considerable investment" and represents a "generational challenge," she said.
While searching for new markets is laudable, it doesn't offer "quick fixes" to Canada's trade woes, according to Steve Verheul, Canadian deputy minister of trade during President Trump's first term.
For him, restoring free trade with the US will be paramount. "We need them. They need us," he said.
'Titanic effort' needed to resolve trade war
Mr Trump and Mr Carney announced before the election that the two sides would meet to discuss trade relations as early as next month.
They are also expected to meet at a G7 summit in Canada in June.
It will take a "titanic effort" to resolve the trade war, believes Sandra Aube, a former Liberal party advisor who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly's chief of staff until 2022.
"There will need to be significant reengagement at all levels with the US government to see what Canada can do," she said.
Rethinking Canadian defence is also high on Mr Carney's agenda.
He has outlined an ambitious programme to assert Canada's sovereignty, particularly in the Arctic, and reducing dependence on allies, notably the US.
"This is an element linked to the economy because major investments of billions of dollars will benefit the Canadian manufacturing sector and defence," Ms Aube said.
At the same time, Mr Carney - who may need the support of small parties to secure a parliamentary majority - will not be able to ignore everyday issues such as the high cost of living and a housing crisis.
"These issues are real and pressing," said Ms Surkes, adding that the prime minister will need to appoint "new blood" to his cabinet to demonstrate that he is more focused on business and the economy than his predecessor.
