Canada Votes On April 28, New PM Launches Election Campaign Amid Trade War and Trump’s Annexation Threats

Ottawa: Amid the backdrop of a trade war, tariff threat and annexation threats from United States President Donald Trump , New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his conservative opponent leader will launch their respective election campaigns on Sunday. As Canada votes on April 28, Carney will trigger a five-week election campaign this Sunday. He will visit Governor-General Mary Simon at midday to request the dissolution of Parliament. Simon, who serves as the representative of Canada’s head of state, King Charles III, holds a constitutional and ceremonial role. 

An official familiar with the matter confirmed the news, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly before the announcement.

Canada Elections: Campaign Kicks Off, Voting on April 28

The election campaign for the 343 seats in the House of Commons will span 37 days. Although other parties are participating, the Liberals and Conservatives are the only ones with a realistic chance of forming the next government. The party that secures a majority in Parliament, either independently or with the support of another party, will form the next government, with its leader becoming the prime minister.

Mark Carney on Sunday visited the Governor General and asked for the parliament to be dissolved and called for a "federal election on April 28."

Carney replaced Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January, but remained in power until the Liberal Party elected a new leader on March 9 following a leadership race by the governing party. Carney, sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister on March 14, has said the government in a time of crisis needs a strong and clear mandate.

Also Read: Canada Announces $21 Billion in Retaliatory Tariffs on US Goods

The opposition Conservatives hoped to make the election about Trudeau, whose popularity declined as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged. But after decades of bilateral stability, the vote is now expected to focus on who is best equipped to deal with Trump.

Conservative Pierre Poilievre As Carney’s Main Opposition

Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservatives, is Carney's main challenger. The party, along with Poilievre, was on track for a significant victory in this year's federal election in Canada until frequent trade and annexation threats from Trump threw their momentum off course.

Trump’s almost daily attacks on Canada’s sovereignty have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in Canadian nationalism that has bolstered Liberal poll numbers. Trump has repeatedly said that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and he acknowledged Friday that he has upended Canadian politics.

Trump's Tariff Threat On Canada

Donald Trump put 25% tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminum and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products — as well as all of America’s trading partners — on April 2.

Carney still hasn’t had a phone call with Trump and that might not happen now until after the election. Trump mocked Trudeau by calling him governor, but he has not yet mentioned Carney’s name.

(with AP inputs)