- Carney aims to leverage his party’s recovery in the polls.
- The Prime Minister describes Canada facing the “most significant crisis of our lifetimes.”
- The representative of King Charles approves the request for an election.
OTTAWA: Newly-appointed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared a snap election for April 28, stating that he needs a strong mandate to address the challenges presented by U.S. President Donald Trump, who he claims is “trying to break us so America can possess us.”
While the next federal election was scheduled for October 20, Carney is eager to seize on the significant recovery his Liberal party has made in the polls since January, when Trump began making threats against Canada, coinciding with the resignation announcement of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“We are confronting the most significant crisis of our lives, stemming from President Trump’s unwarranted trade measures and threats to our sovereignty,” Carney asserted.
“We have much work ahead to secure Canada, invest in its future, build our nation, and unite our people. That’s why I’m requesting a clear and strong mandate from my fellow Canadians. I’ve asked the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and call for an election on April 28th, which she has agreed to,” Carney informed reporters after receiving the election approval from the Governor General, who acts as King Charles’ personal representative in Canada.
A former central banker with no prior political or campaigning experience, Carney acquired the Liberal leadership two weeks ago by convincing party members that he was the ideal candidate to take on Trump.
With just five weeks to sway public opinion, current polls indicate that the Liberals, who have governed since 2015 and lagged behind the Conservative opposition earlier in the year, are now slightly leading their competitors.
“We’ve transitioned from an election focused on the desire for change to one centered primarily on leadership,” remarked Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs.
“The Conservatives’ ability to criticize the Liberals has significantly weakened, as voters are paying attention to immediate issues rather than reflecting on the last decade,” he added during a phone interview.
The Conservative party is working to depict Carney as an elitist who intends to perpetuate the high-spending policies of the Trudeau era. They also raise questions regarding the transparency of how he placed his personal financial interests into a blind trust.
Carney reacted defensively last week when questioned about the trust, accusing the journalist of fostering “conflict and ill will.” This terse response may provide the Conservatives with some hope that Carney could falter during his inaugural campaign.
A successful outcome will largely depend on his performance in Quebec, where he struggled during a press conference when asked to respond in French—initially misunderstanding the question and ultimately answering in English.
In contrast, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is fluent in French and has considerable political experience, having participated in seven previous elections.
Political analyst Laura Stephenson, a professor at Western University in London, Ontario, suggested that Carney’s lack of political experience may not be a significant drawback due to the looming influence of the Trump interaction.
“Voters are making a unique comparison between the leaders and their potential capabilities,” she noted. “I expect we’ll see a bit more leniency directed towards politicians during this campaign than is normally granted.”
An online Angus Reid survey of 4,009 participants published on Monday indicated that the Liberals enjoy 42% public support, while the Conservatives are at 37%, with a margin of error of approximately 1.5%, 19 times out of 20.
Additionally, a separate online Leger poll of 1,568 individuals for the National Post published the same day reported 42% support for the Liberals and 39% for the Conservatives, with a margin of error of around 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
