Mark Carney, Canada’s newly appointed Prime Minister, is positioned to announce a snap election date for April 28. This development is expected to ignite a vigorous campaign that will primarily center around Canada’s response to the trade conflict initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as his provocative suggestions that Canada should become the 51st state.
Having taken over from Justin Trudeau just last week, Mr. Carney is prepared to formally declare the election date this Sunday, as revealed by two government sources who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity. His swift decision to call for an election underscores a strategic move to leverage a notable surge in polling for his Liberal Party, largely attributed to the implications of U.S. tariffs and President Trump’s unprecedented statements about Canadian autonomy.
Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Carney stated, “We must assert our independence. Dialogue and trade must balance our interests with those of the seemingly fragmented American landscape.”
Earlier in the year, before Trump’s administration took office, the Liberals were facing dire prospects, seemingly on the brink of electoral defeat with the Conservative Party poised to assume control. However, following Mr. Carney’s decisive victory in the party leadership election on March 9, he has remarkably united his party to face the challenges posed by Trump and the looming fears of a recession spurred by trade tensions.
This will mark Mr. Carney’s inaugural campaign, a significant challenge for the 60-year-old former central banker who has never held an elected position. He believes that his experience, which includes leading the Bank of Canada through the financial crises of 2008-2009 and overseeing the Bank of England during Brexit, equips him to adeptly manage the current economic atmosphere of uncertainty.
In recent discussions, Mr. Carney asserted that the U.S. is “a country Canada can no longer trust,” warning citizens that bilateral relations may be fundamentally altered moving forward. His immediate diplomatic engagements after taking office—including visits to Paris and London—highlighted his strategy to bolster Canada’s ties with European nations while relations with the U.S. appear increasingly strained. “What is clear is that our trade and security relations are too reliant on the United States. We must diversify,” he emphasized during a speech in London.
As the election campaigns heat up, recent polling trends suggest a competitive race despite earlier momentum for the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre. While the Liberals have gained ground, they have done so at the expense of the left-wing New Democratic Party, which although trusted by progressive voters on domestic issues like healthcare, is often perceived as weaker in matters of U.S. relations.
Stéphanie Chouinard, a politics professor at Queen’s University, remarked, “While the call for an election is not unexpected given the Liberals’ polling gains, there remains an element of uncertainty surrounding Mark Carney, as he has no prior campaigning experience. It will be a definitive test for him under challenging circumstances.”
On the other side of the aisle, polling indicates that some voters feel hesitant to support Mr. Poilievre as an opposition to Trump. He has received endorsements from notable Trump allies, including Elon Musk, leading some Liberals to derisively brand him as “Maple Syrup MAGA.” Despite this, Poilievre has attempted to distance himself from Trump, likely in response to criticisms that may play into regional political narratives.
At a recent event in Jonquière, Québec, Poilievre asserted the need for “a strong leader” while outlining his agenda to lessen Canada’s economic dependence on the U.S. “We need to put Canada first,” he added, deliberately omitting references to Trump.
According to Geneviève Tellier, a politics professor at the University of Ottawa, both the Conservative and New Democratic parties will likely steer their focuses away from Trump’s influence, as doing so benefits the Liberals at this moment. “This is an incredible turnaround for the Liberals,” she noted, indicating that Canadians may be leaning towards a preference for stability, and thus, the established Liberals, who have been in power since 2015, could be viewed as a safer option.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
