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 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 personalrepresentative of Britain’s King Charles who is Canada’s head of state, approved his request for an election.
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 surge in nationalism that has rallied Liberal poll numbers.
Carney replaced Justin Trudeau, , 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.
The US president placed and is threatening further tariffs on all Canadian products on April 2.
Carney visited Governor-General Mary Simon, who holds a constitutional and ceremonial role as the representative of Canada’s head of state, King Charles III, to request that parliament be dissolved.
“The next election will be one of the most consequential in our lifetimes,” Carney posted on social media overnight.
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.
The 60-year-old Carney led the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis. In 2013, he became the first noncitizen of the UK to run the Bank of England, helping to ease the impact of Brexit.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse
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