CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER Mark Carney has called a snap election for 28 April. 

Carney, the former head of the Bank of England, took leadership of the Liberal Party from Justin Trudeau nine days ago. He was chosen by his party, garnering over 80% of the vote, to become its new leader.

During a press conference in which he announced the election, Carney said that Canada needs to “fight the Americans” and “take actions” to tackle tariffs touted by US President Donald Trump and make efforts to fix Canada’s economy.

The trade war with the US is one of the “most significant threats of our lifetimes”, Carney told reporters, saying that Trump wants to damage Canada economically so “America can own us. We will not let that happen.”

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— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) March 23, 2025

He announced that he had asked for parliament to be dissolved.

Carney’s calling of an election comes as relations between Canada and the United States have reached a low point not seen since the colonial era.

The relationship between the two North American nations has been largely positive since Canada gained autonomy from Britain.

Now, Canadians are living through “dark days”, Carney said earlier this month.

Since his election last year, Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada while also imposing tariffs that have set off a chaotic trade war between the once close allies.

“I think Canada would be much better off being the 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada. And I’m not going to let that happen,” Trump told Fox News last month.

Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau has previously described the newly aggressive American posture towards his country as “an existential threat”, while stressing that Canada will never be America’s “51st state”.

Carney has kept up the fighting rhetoric since his election as leader of the ruling Liberal Party.

“Canada never ever will be part of America in any way, shape or form,” Carney told Liberal Party supporters in Ottowa earlier this month.