Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
What happened
Canada's new prime minister, Mark Carney of the ruling Liberal Party, announced Sunday that voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government. Carney was sworn in March 14, replacing Justin Trudeau, who had grown unpopular after a decade in power. His main rival in the upcoming election is Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
Who said what
Carney, a former central banker and "political rookie" who is "not considered to be a stirring speaker," presents a "stark contrast" with Poilievre, a "lifelong politician who rose to prominence as a smarmy attack dog in Parliament," The Washington Post said. The campaign, however, is "likely to come down to one question: Who can best handle President Donald Trump and make Canada more resilient in the face of his threats?"
Carney said he needed a "strong, positive mandate" to tackle Trump's "unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty," which he called "the most significant crisis of our lifetimes." Poilievre also criticized Trump's "unacceptable threats against our country" but argued that Trudeau's economic policies had left Canada weak and vulnerable.
What next?
Polls show that Carney has "eliminated" Poilievre's recent "25-percentage-point lead" and the "two enter the election period neck-and-neck," The New York Times said.