Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney today set April 28 as the date for a federal election, and with threats of annexation and U.S. tariffs looming, they could be the most important in the country's history.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Canada should be the 51st American state and has imposed tariffs, with Canada imposing counter-tariffs.
The three major party leaders know that in the minds of Canadians, this election is about Trump.
The leaders are political neophyte Carney, the Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh and his New Democratic Party (NDP). Each said it would be better to oppose the US president. At a press conference announcing the election date, Carney attacked Trump.
"He wants to break us so America can own us," Carney said.
The federal election was set in motion when unpopular Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned in January and Mark Carney won the Liberal race to secure the leader's crown.
Polls showed that Canadians were disillusioned with Trudeau, as was his party, and he bowed to public and Liberal party pressure to step down.
With Trudeau out almost immediately, the Liberals, who polls showed for months were a distant second to the Conservatives, saw a dramatic increase in support in public polls and now enjoy a lead over the Conservatives.
Polls also showed that the New Democratic Party is stuck in third place.
Former Bank of Canada Governor Carney has never held or run for political office.
Poilievre has been described by opponents as a career politician, winning election as a member of parliament at the age of 25. Now 45, critics say he has never held a real job in the private sector. He is known for his aggressive criticism of liberals in parliament.
He said at a press conference on Sunday that he was focused on the Trump threat, and he referred to the last 10 years under Trudeau as the “lost liberal decade.” But now Trudeau, who was Poilievre’s main target, is gone, AA reports.
Singh, 46, has led the NDP since 2017, but has never won. Issues that rank behind Trump include affordable housing, the cost of living and health care. The election campaign will last five weeks, the shortest allowed under Canadian law, reports KosovaPress.
