Canada snap elections: What are big challenges parties must face
What's the story
Mark Carney, Canada's newly appointed Prime Minister, has called for a snap election on April 28.
The announcement comes only 10 days after Carney was sworn in on March 14.
The decision to dissolve Parliament was taken during his meeting with Governor General Mary Simon, where he requested her to dissolve the parliament, after which an official five-week campaign period started.
Early elections
Carney's call for early elections amid US trade tensions
Carney's call for snap polls comes after a trade war and threats to sovereignty from US President Donald Trump.
The PM said, "We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President Trump's unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty."
He reiterated his dedication to a new Canadian economy that works for all.
Political shift
Carney's rise and the Liberal Party's changing fortunes
Carney was elected head of the Liberal Party two weeks ago after Justin Trudeau resigned in January.
His early election decision is being viewed as a tactical move to take advantage of an unexpected spike in popularity for the Liberal Party.
Recent opinion polls indicate Carney's party could win a majority government.
He has also managed to avoid an expected showdown over the fact that he doesn't have a seat in the House of Commons.
Election process
How will the elections unfold?
In the next elections, Canadians will elect 343 members of parliament to the House of Commons.
Seats are won on a first-past-the-post basis: multiple parties can field candidates in an electoral district that is also known as a "riding."
The candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of whether they secured an absolute majority of votes.
Election contenders
Key players in the upcoming Canadian elections
Key players in the upcoming Canadian elections are Mark Carney, Conservative Party's Pierre Poilievre, New Democratic Party (NDP)'s Jagmeet Singh, and Bloc Quebecois's Yves-Francois Blanchet.
Carney is a former Bank of England governor with little political experience—he has never held a political office.
While Poilievre has portrayed himself as a strong opponent of Trump's trade measures, Singh leads the left-leaning NDP which focuses on labor issues.
Blanchet heads a Quebec nationalist party contesting only in the French-speaking province of Quebec.
Election issues
Key issues dominating the election campaign
Trump's tariffs, trade wars, and threats to Canada's sovereignty will likely dominate the upcoming Canadian election.
On the home front, the cost-of-living crisis—especially the affordability of housing and healthcare—looms large.
Pollster David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, observed that Canadians are preoccupied with the "existential threat" of a trade war with the US.
A recent book by historian Patrice Dutil has also claimed that "at least half of Canada's national elections featured substantive discussions of Canada's place in the world."