New Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has called a snap general election against the backdrop of a trade war with the US and threats from Donald Trump to make Canada part of America.
Mr Carney, who is the former governor of the Bank of England, announced on Sunday that there will be a five-week election campaign before a vote on 28 April.
His governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Mr Trump declared a trade war.
The US leader has repeatedly said Canada should become the 51st state of the US and has also placed tariffs on exports to his country.
Donald Trump, pictured at the White House earlier this week, has made repeated attacks on Canada’s sovereignty
His repeated attacks on Canada’s sovereignty have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in support for the Liberals.
“We’re facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” Mr Carney said, in a speech given after asking Canada’s governor-general to dissolve parliament.
“Our response must be to build a strong economy and a more secure Canada.
“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. We’re over the shock of the betrayal but we should never forget the lessons.
“We have to look out for ourselves. We have to look out for each other.”
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Mr Carney was the head of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis. In 2013, he became the first non-UK citizen to run the Bank of England, and helped to manage the impact of Brexit.
He replaced Justin Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister earlier this month. Mr Trudeau, who announced he was resigning in January, had come under pressure after losing support before Mr Trump came to power.
The election campaign for 343 seats or districts in the House of Commons will last 37 days. While other parties are running, the Liberals and the Conservatives are the only two that have a chance to form a government.
The Conservatives had hoped to focus on Mr Trudeau, whose popularity had declined as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged.
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Now, the vote in Canada could come down to who is best equipped to take on Mr Trump.
The US president has put 25% tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminium and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products – as well as all of America’s trading partners.
Until his trade and annexation threats, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, 45, had been expected to claim a huge victory at the country’s next election.
“I will insist the president recognises the independence and sovereignty of Canada,” Mr Poilievre said as he launched his own campaign. “I will insist he stops tariffing our nation.”
Mr Poilievre, a career politician and populist who says he will put “Canada first”, said he does not respect “the treatment that he has meted out to our country”.
