Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to hold an early election on April 28, in an attempt to rally voters against US ambitions to incorporate Canada into the United States. Carney, who recently became leader of the Liberal Party after a career as a central banker, made this announcement on Sunday and made his speech about Canadian sovereignty.
Carney, who took over from the not so popular Justin Trudeau, has never held an elected position, but he’s banking on the public’s anxiety over Trump’s threats to unify the country. Trump has constantly suggested Canada’s independence is a mere thing of the past, referring to its borders as “artificial” and saying it should become the 51st state of the U.S. He’s also imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, which could hurt the economy. “Trump wants to weaken us so that America can dominate. We will not let that occur,” Carney has said.
Carney’s Liberals, who have been in power for a decade, were trailing behind the Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilievre until recently. Carney’s entry has now tightened the race, with analysts calling it too close to predict. Carney, 60, brings a background in finance, having led Canada’s and later the U.K.’s central banks. Poilievre, 45, entered politics young and leans toward libertarian and populist ideas.
The election that was supposed to take place in October is now mostly focused on US Canada relations. Typically, topics like the cost of living and immigration take center stage in Canadian politics, but recent polls indicate that voters are more concerned about which leader is best equipped to deal with Trump’s approach to Canada.