Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has called for a snap election on April 28, following Justin Trudeau’s removal. The upcoming election will pit the ruling Liberal Party against the main opposition, the Conservative Party of Canada.
Carney said the election is necessary to give the country a government with a stronger mandate. He explained that this is important amid the trade war with the United States and repeated threats from President Trump to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, a move that Canadians strongly oppose.
“I have asked the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and call an election for April 28, and she has agreed,” Carney said, referring to the Queen’s representative in Canada.
During his announcement, Carney also stated, “Donald Trump wants to break us so America can own us. We will not let that happen.” He emphasized that the threat is serious and that Canada needs a strong mandate to make bold decisions.
It has been just over a week since Justin Trudeau stepped down under pressure from both his party and the opposition, led by Pierre Poilievre. Carney and his new cabinet were sworn in on March 14.
What is a snap election
A snap election is held earlier than planned. In parliamentary systems, snap elections are used to resolve issues like a hung parliament where no party has a clear majority when the prime minister loses a vote of confidence, or to take advantage of a unique chance or solve an urgent problem. These elections are not required by law or tradition; they are called when needed.
Elections in Canada
Canada was set to hold its election in October, but now it’s been moved up. The Liberal Party, in power for ten years, has become very unpopular under Justin Trudeau’s leadership. Mark Carney, who took over as prime minister, is hoping to ride a wave of patriotism sparked by threats from President Trump.
Trump has repeatedly called Canada the “51st state” and mocked Trudeau, and he has already imposed high tariffs that experts say could seriously hurt Canada’s economy.
These issues like tariffs, Trump’s threats, and protecting the nation have become bigger topics than the cost of living, inflation, and immigration. Trump has made it clear that “I don’t care who wins,” and he will go ahead with his plans regardless.
On April 28, Canadians will vote for 343 members of parliament, up from 338 in 2021 because of the country’s growing population. Canada uses a first-past-the-post system, meaning in each district, the candidate with the most votes wins, even if they don’t get more than half the votes.
If a party wins 172 seats, it has a majority government. If no party wins a majority, the party with the most seats will try to form a government, but they must maintain the confidence of the House of Commons.
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