OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney has called a snap federal election, sending Canadians to the polls on April 28, just weeks after assuming office — a bold political gamble aimed at capitalizing on a brief surge in Liberal support amid deepening economic friction with the United States.
The writs are expected to be issued today following Carney’s visit to Governor General Mary Simon, six months ahead of the fixed election date. The move launches a five-week campaign — the shortest legally permitted — and sets in motion a high-stakes contest for leadership at a time of profound uncertainty both at home and abroad.
Carney, a former central banker with no seat in the House of Commons, was officially sworn in as prime minister on March 14, following a swift Liberal leadership race that saw him replace longtime party leader Justin Trudeau. His rapid decision to return to Rideau Hall has drawn speculation that he hopes to secure a mandate before the political winds shift again — and before the full weight of governing through a fragile minority can settle in.
The backdrop is volatile: a growing trade war with the United States, led by former U.S. president Donald Trump, who has re-imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, and other key exports. Ottawa has retaliated with $60 billion in countermeasures, but Trump has already warned of broader “reciprocal tariffs” to come on April 2 — a looming threat that could further disrupt an already uneasy economic landscape.
Despite trailing the Conservatives in national polls for nearly two years, Carney’s appointment appears to have jolted Liberal fortunes. Recent polling suggests the party has closed the gap, and in some cases pulled narrowly ahead, a rare political opening the new leader is eager to exploit.
The election will mark the first federal campaign since 2011 without Justin Trudeau at the helm of the Liberal Party — and the first for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who assumed leadership in 2022 after three straight losses to the Liberals. Poilievre will officially launch his campaign today in Manotick, Ont., the riding he has represented since 2004.
In a brief tenure already marked by bold reversals, Carney has followed through on promises to scrap the federal carbon tax and cancel a planned increase to the capital gains inclusion rate. He has also pledged to eliminate the GST for first-time homebuyers, a measure echoed by the Conservatives during their own housing affordability push.
New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, and Green Party co-leaders Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault are all expected to launch their campaigns from their respective strongholds today.
The April 28 vote will determine not just who governs, but how Canada responds to a historic trade confrontation with its largest ally, rising global instability, and a generational affordability crisis at home. With 343 seats up for grabs after electoral redistribution, the campaign promises to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory — and perhaps the most consequential since Confederation.
