Newly installed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call a snap election on Sunday (March 23), sending voters to the polls around April 28 of this year.
Carney was sworn in as Canada’s prime minister on March 14, succeeding Justin Trudeau who stepped down from the role after a decade in power.
Now, Carney is reportedly planning to call a snap election to capitalize on a wave of patriotism that has swept the country in the wake of U.S. import tariffs.
Since Trudeau’s resignation and U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration in late January, Canada’s ruling Liberal Party has experienced a surge in popularity, according to the polls.
The latest survey by Nanos Research shows the opposition Conservative Party and Liberals in a statistical tie with about 35% support each among decided voters.
Prior to Trudeau stepping down, the Conservatives had enjoyed a 20-percentage point lead over the Liberals.
Many voters see Carney, a former Wall Street investment banker and central bank governor, as best positioned to deal with the trade tariffs imposed by the U.S. and ongoing threats by President Donald Trump to annex Canada.
Political pundits seem to agree that Trump’s trade war, and which political leader is best equipped to deal with it, are likely to be the main ballot box issues in the election.
The recent Nanos Research poll found that Trump and U.S. relations are the top issue of national concern in Canada at 27%, followed by the domestic economy at 17%.
