Canadian PM Mark Carney announces April 28 election

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday announced a general election, triggering a five-week election campaign ahead of the vote on April 28.

The governing Liberals had looked set for a historic election drubbing this year until US President Donald Trump declared a trade war and threatened Canadian national sovereignty.

What did the Canadian prime minister say?

Carney said he was calling the election just nine days into office because of the need for act in light of Trump’s policies and threats.

“We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” Carney said.

“There is so much more to do to secure Canada. To invest in Canada, to build Canada, to unite Canada.”

“That’s why I’m asking for a strong positive mandate from my fellow Canadians. I’ve just requested that the Governor General dissolve Parliament and call an election for April 28th, and she has agreed,” Carney told reporters after Governor-General Mary Simon, the personal representative of Britain’s King Charles who is Canada’s head of state, approved his request for an election.

“President Trump claims that Canada isn’t a real country. He wants to break us so America can own us. We will not let that happen,” Carney said.

“We’re over the shock of the betrayal. But we should never forget the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves. We have to look out for each other.”

Responding to questions later, Carney said he would not meet Trump face-to-face until the US president recognizes Canada’s sovereignty.

What will be the big issues in Canada’s election?

The US president’s almost daily attacks on Canada’s sovereignty have angered many Canadians and produced a groundswell in nationalism that has rallied Liberal poll numbers.

The US president placed 25% tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminium and is threatening further tariffs on all Canadian products on April 2.

Carney replaced Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January, but who stayed in power until the Liberal Party elected Carney in a leadership race earlier this month.

The opposition Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, had hoped to make the election about Trudeau, whose popularity had declined amid high inflation and concerns about immigration.

However, the vote is now expected to focus on who is best equipped to deal with Trump.

“I want the opposite of what Donald Trump wants,” the Conservative leader said Sunday, promising to base his campaign on bread-and-butter economic issues and the worries of “regular people.”

The election sees 343 seats or districts up for grabs in the House of Commons.

Although other parties are running, only the Liberals or the Conservatives have a chance to form a government.