OTTAWA – Canada’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Mark Carney, is set to announce an early election on Sunday, aiming to secure a robust mandate to address economic risks posed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Carney’s schedule indicates a visit to the Governor General, King Charles’ representative in Canada, at noon (1600 GMT), followed by a media briefing. This move is expected to dissolve Parliament and officially kick off the election campaign.
Although the next federal election is not scheduled until October 20, Carney hopes to capitalize on the Liberal Party’s recent resurgence in the polls. The party’s popularity has rebounded since January, when Trump’s trade threats emerged, and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation.
Carney, a former central banker with no prior political or campaign experience, secured the Liberal leadership on March 9 by convincing party members of his ability to manage economic challenges. Party insiders previously hinted that Carney would push for an early election.
According to The Globe and Mail, the election is set for April 28, giving Carney five weeks to garner public support. Recent polls show the Liberals, in power since 2015, have edged slightly ahead of the opposition Conservatives after trailing earlier this year.
Though Carney has yet to engage directly with Trump, he has sought to ease tensions, expressing respect for the U.S. president’s objectives. Meanwhile, the Conservatives have criticized Carney as an out-of-touch elitist likely to continue Trudeau’s high-spending policies. They have also questioned the transparency of his financial asset transfer to a blind trust.
As Canada heads toward the polls, voters will weigh Carney’s economic expertise against concerns over fiscal responsibility and transparency.