Canada’s PM Carney triggers snap election, vote set for April 28

Montreal, Canada – Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney has moved to dissolve Parliament and trigger a snap election on April 28.

The widely anticipated decision on Sunday kicks off an election race less than two weeks after Carney took up his post, succeeding Justin Trudeau at a time of soaring tensions with the United States.

“We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President [Donald] Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” the Liberal Party leader told reporters in Ottawa after he met with the governor general to request parliament’s dissolution.

“I’m asking Canadians for a strong, positive mandate to deal with President Trump and to build a new Canadian economy that works for everyone because I know we need change – big change, positive change.”

The election had to be held by October 20, but experts say Carney is hoping that an early vote will benefit his Liberal Party, which is riding a wave of momentum.

The party, which has been in government since 2015, has seen a surge in support since Trudeau’s January announcement that he planned to step down and amid repeated threats from Trump.

The US president’s tariffs and calls to annex Canada have fuelled anger and uncertainty, and many Canadians have been supportive of the Liberal government’s firm — and unified — response to Washington.

After years of criticism for their handling of soaring housing costs and an affordability crisis, the Liberals are now locked in a neck-and-neck fight with the opposition Conservatives, according to recent polls.

As recently as January, the Tories enjoyed a double-digit lead over their rivals and were expected to easily coast to victory in the federal election.

“[Carney] wants to call the election while he still has this kind of momentum as a new leader — and while the shock of the Trump administration is still front of mind for Canadians,” Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, told Al Jazeera.

The US president has repeatedly said he wants to make Canada into the “51st state”, sparking a surge in Canadian nationalism. He also has imposed steep tariffs on Canadian goods that economists say could plunge the country into a recession.

Against that backdrop, several experts told Al Jazeera that the upcoming vote’s central “ballot question” will be which party leader is best equipped to respond to Trump and manage Canada-US ties.

“And that’s a ballot question that is much better for Mark Carney,” Young said.

Carney — an economist and former central banker — has the highest approval ratings of any federal party leader, according to an Ipsos poll released on Thursday. Canadians also viewed him as the leader best able to deal with Trump’s tariffs and their fallout.

Carney has promised to continue with Trudeau’s firm response to the levies, including imposing reciprocal countermeasures against the US, Canada’s top global trading partner.

The Liberal leader also has rejected Trump’s push to annex Canada, calling the idea “crazy” and saying Canadian sovereignty must be respected before he will hold talks with Washington.

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre [Carlos Osorio/Reuters]

Meanwhile, the opposition Conservatives are hoping to regain some of the ground they have lost since the start of the year.

Experts say Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who is known for his incendiary rhetoric and attacks against Trudeau, has struggled to find solid messaging in the face of Trump.

Poilievre’s combative political style also has drawn comparisons to the US president, raising questions about how he would handle Trump if the Conservatives win the election and he becomes prime minister.

But Poilievre has slammed the Liberals for their record in government over the past decade and said Canadians can count on him to stand up for the country.

“I know a lot of people are worried, angry and anxious — and with good reason — as a result of the [US] president’s unacceptable threats against our country,” he said during a news conference to launch his campaign on Sunday morning.

“I share your anger and I share the worry for our future. But I also draw great resolve in knowing that we can transform the anxiety and anger into action,” Poilievre said. “I will protect Canada and I will always put our country first.”

The CBC News Poll Tracker, which aggregates polling data across Canada, had the Liberals with 37.5 percent support compared with 37.1 percent for the Conservatives as of Sunday.

The left-leaning New Democratic Party, led by Jagmeet Singh, was in third with 11.6 percent, followed by Yves-Francois Blanchet’s Bloc Quebecois at 6.4 percent.

The parties will be vying for 343 seats in the lower house of Canada’s Parliament, known as the House of Commons.

Under Canada’s parliamentary system, the party that wins the most seats typically will be asked to form a government. The leader of that party will also become prime minister.