Canada’s Prime Minister And His Opponent Kick Off Election Saying Trump Must Respect Sovereignty

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at a news conference at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on March 23, 2025 after asking the Governor General to dissolve Parliament thereby triggering snap elections on April 28. Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday called early elections for April 28, pledging to defeat Donald Trump’s drive to annex the United States’s huge northern neighbor. Carney, a former central banker, was chosen by Canada’s centrist Liberal Party to replace Justin Trudeau as prime minister, but he has never faced the country’s broader electorate. (Photo by Dave Chan / AFP) (Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

TORONTO (AP) — New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Conservative opponent have kicked off their election campaigns against the backdrop of a trade war and annexation threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. Carney announced Sunday there will be a five-week election campaign before the vote on April 28. The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war. Trump has repeatedly said that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and he acknowledged Friday that he has upended Canadian politics. Trump’s almost daily attacks on Canada’s sovereignty have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in Canadian nationalism that has bolstered Liberal poll numbers.