Ottawa [Canada], March 24: Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney has moved to dissolve Parliament and trigger a snap election on April 28.
The widely anticipated decision on Sunday kicks off an election race less than two weeks after Carney took up his post, succeeding Justin Trudeau at a time of soaring tensions with the United States.
"We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President [Donald] Trump's unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty," the Liberal Party leader told reporters in Ottawa after he met with the governor general to request parliament's dissolution.
"I'm asking Canadians for a strong, positive mandate to deal with President Trump and to build a new Canadian economy that works for everyone because I know we need change - big change, positive change." The election had to be held by October 20, but experts say Carney is hoping that an early vote will benefit his Liberal Party, which is riding a wave of momentum.
The party, which has been in government since 2015, has seen a surge in support since Trudeau's January announcement that he planned to step down and amid repeated threats from Trump.
The US president's tariffs and calls to annex Canada have fuelled anger and uncertainty, and many Canadians have been supportive of the Liberal government's firm - and unified - response to Washington.
After years of criticism for their handling of soaring housing costs and an affordability crisis, the Liberals are now locked in a neck-and-neck fight with the opposition Conservatives, according to recent polls.
As recently as January, the Tories enjoyed a double-digit lead over their rivals and were expected to easily coast to victory in the federal election.
"[Carney] wants to call the election while he still has this kind of momentum as a new leader - and while the shock of the Trump administration is still front of mind for Canadians," Lisa Young, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, told Al Jazeera. (Agencies)
Source: Qatar Tribune
