On March 14, Mark Carney took oath as the Prime Minister of Canada, and within 10 days, he announced a snap election in Canada on April 28. The announcement of the election comes amid a trade war and sovereignty threats from the newly elected US President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, the Canadian Prime Minister met Governor General Mary Simon and urged them to dissolve the Parliament, which was accepted quickly. However, the question that comes to mind, despite a decrease in the popularity of the Liberal Party under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is why the new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, wanted to have a snap election.
Why did he call for a snap election?
The new Prime Minister called for a snap election in Canada just a day before Parliament returned on Monday (March 24) after being prorogued for two months following Trudeau’s resignation. Carney has smartly averted a potential showdown over his lack of a seat in the House of Commons.
The current situation created by Trump’s aggressive stance on Canada can also be capitalised on by inducing strong nationalism in the Canadian public to garner losing support. PM Mark Carney took this opportunity to ask Canadians to give him a strong mandate in order to fight US President Donald Trump.
“We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President [Donald] Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” the Liberal Party leader told reporters in Ottawa after he met with the governor-general. “I’m asking Canadians for a strong, positive mandate to deal with President Trump and to build a new Canadian economy that works for everyone because I know we need change – big change, positive change.”
The elections were scheduled for October, and many believe Carney is hoping that early poll results will benefit the Liberal Party, which is once again gaining support. In January, the Liberals’ prospects were poor. Recent polls suggest that Carney’s party may be able to obtain a majority government, reflecting a shift in public sentiment. With the kick-starting election campaign, the banker-turned-politician hopes to ride the wave. An election campaign, which will last about five weeks, has officially begun.
Also Read: Who is the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who calls Trump ‘Voldemort’
What are the key issues?
Donald Trump, tariffs, and trade wars will dominate the election campaign. The other big concern is the US president’s constant threat to Canada’s sovereignty.
Most political scientists have traditionally argued that foreign policy does not matter to Canadians at the voting booth. But a recent book by historian Patrice Dutil has claimed that “at least half of Canada’s national elections featured substantive discussions of Canada’s place in the world”, reports The Conversation.
The worry on the domestic front is the cost-of-living crisis – housing and healthcare affordability.
Pollster David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, told BBC that Canadians have been subsumed by the “existential threat” of the trade war with the US. “Even if the cost of living is still the top issue, it may not be as powerful a motivator to drive voting behaviour,” he said.
It is a challenging time for Canada, and whoever wins the election will have to be ready for a trade war and to mend ties with Trump as he talks about annexation. There is also the fear the growing fear of recession amid global uncertainty.
Globally, Canada has spoiled its relationship with India under PM Justin Trudeau and has also made a mockery of him and Canada by meeting Trump in the US. Hence, the global reputation is also down. The new PM is trying to work hard to repair those dents made by Trudeau. This will also be an important issue in the election. The road ahead is a tough one.
