Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announces election as he seeks mandate to tackle Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a federal election in a widely anticipated move where he met with Governor-General Mary Simon to request for Parliament to be dissolved.

“I’m asking Canadians for a strong, positive mandate to deal with President [Donald] Trump and to build a new Canadian economy that works for everyone because I know we need change,” Carney said on Sunday (Monday AEDT) of the ongoing trade war with the US.

The election will be held on April 28 and will see Carney face off against his main rival, the Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre.

Carney assumed his role as Liberal leader and prime minister after his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, announced his resignation in January amid a polling slump and an internal revolt in his cabinet.

For months, polls indicated that the Conservatives had a strong lead in the election. The Liberal Party has since seen a surge in popularity following a trade war with the US and Trump’s threat to Canada’s sovereignty.

“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 Sunday. “Our response must be to build a strong economy and a more secure Canada.”

He added: “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.”

The Conservative leader Poilievre, who launched his campaign for the premiership on Sunday with a “Canada First” message, has repeatedly portrayed Carney as a leader ill-equipped to deal with Trump.

During a press conference ahead of Carney announcing the poll, Poilievre said: “Today, the Liberals are asking for a fourth term in power after swapping Justin Trudeau for his economic adviser and handpicked successor, Mark Carney.”

When asked how he would handle his relationship with Trump, Poilievre said he would insist the “independence and sovereignty of Canada” was recognised and “I will strengthen our country so that we can be capable of standing on our own two feet and standing up to the Americans where and when necessary.”

Carney, in turn, has accused Poilievre of following Trump’s lead in suggesting Canada should cut its foreign aid budget. On Sunday, the prime minister suggested that Canada’s Conservatives mirror the Trump administration in “language” and “intent.”

Carney was sworn in as Canada’s prime minister this month and was expected to call the election as he sought a mandate. Carney, who is the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, has emphasised his financial background as the future of the Canadian economy looks uncertain.

During his address in Ottawa, the Liberal leader outlined his vision to reposition the Canadian economy.

He said that after meeting with Canada’s provincial ministers on Friday, a “consensus” was reached to remove trade barriers within the country and unify the Canadian economy. He also promised to introduce a middle-class tax cut that he said would benefit dual-income families.

Canada would continue to diversify its trade partners and lessen its reliance on the United States, he said. Carney also emphasized the need to “act dramatically and act rapidly to build an economy that’s strong for Canada” and “control what we can control.”