Ottawa (TDI): Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a snap election for April 28, stating he needs a strong mandate to address the economic threat posed by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
After attending a church service Sunday morning, Prime Minister Mark Carney — who has been in power for just over a week — visited Governor General Mary Simon to dissolve the Parliament.
Although the next election is not due until 20th October, Carney hopes to capitalize on a remarkable recovery by his Liberal party in the polls since January, when Trump began threatening Canada and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation.
“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 much more to be done to secure, invest in, build, and unite Canada. That is why I am asking for a strong and positive mandate from my fellow Canadians.” Carney told reporters after the Governor General and the Personal Representative of King Charles – Canada’s Head of State, approved the election announcement.
“I have requested that the Governor General dissolve Parliament and call an election for April 28th, and she has agreed to my request”, he added.
Mark Carney has the highest approval ratings of any federal party leader, according to an Ipsos poll released on Thursday. Canadians view him as the leader best able to deal with Trump’s tariffs and their fallout.
Read More: US Imposes Tariffs on Canada, Mexico
Now he has five weeks to win over Canadians. The same polls suggest that the Liberals, who have been in power since 2015, are now slightly ahead of their rivals.
The US President’s tariffs and calls to annex Canada have fueled anger and uncertainty, and many Canadians have been supportive of the Liberal Government’s firm and unified response to Washington.
Carney has promised to continue with Trudeau’s firm objectives, including imposing reciprocal countermeasures against the US, Canada’s top global trading partner.
Areeba Kanwal is a contributor at The Diplomatic Insight and has passion for International Relations and diplomacy.
