- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for a snap federal election on April 28, citing 'significant crises' caused by President Donald Trump's trade actions and alleged threats to Canadian sovereignty.
- The election will be a showdown between four major parties — Liberal (led by Carney), Conservative (led by Pierre Poilievre), Bloc Québécois (led by Yves-François Blanchet) and New Democratic (led by Jagmeet Singh).
- The election follows a first-past-the-post system across 343 electoral districts, with the party securing a majority of 172 seats forming the government, or a minority government requiring support from other parties if no majority is achieved.
Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal party leader Mark Carney called for the launch of an early federal election on April 28 and for the dissolution of Parliament, six months before federal elections are typically scheduled to take place, on the third Monday in October.
Carney justified the snap election in a press conference Sunday on the steps of Rideau Hall in Ottawa. “We are facing the most significant crises of our lifetimes because of President Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty.”
“Our response must be to build a strong economy and a more secure Canada,” he said. “President Trump claims that Canada isn’t a real country. He wants to break us, so America can own us. We will not let that happen.”
The call came just nine days after Carney took office, replacing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation at the beginning of January.
The election will bring a showdown between four parties
Both Parliament seats and the role of prime minister will be filled by the April 28 election. The four dominating parties in Canada include the Liberal, Conservative, New Democratic and Bloc Québécois parties.
The election will follow a first-past-the-post system across Canada’s 343 electoral districts. Since 2015, the Canadian federal government has included 338 MP seats, but the 2025 election will increase the number to 343, according to 338 Canada.
Each district will elect one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons.
Whichever party has the most seats after the federal election or can command the confidence of the House of Commons will lead the country as prime minister. Party members select the party leader through internal leadership contests; they are not elected by MPs.
If no party secures a majority of 172 seats, then a minority government will be formed, which often requires support from other parties.
Currently there are 152 Liberal seats, 120 Conservative seats, 33 Bloc Quebecois seats, 24 New Democratic Party seats and 9 others filled by various parties.
Who are the party leaders vying to be prime minister?
The Liberal party candidate: Carney, who replaced Trudeau as Liberal party leader and has been acting prime minister for 10 days, will be running for reelection.
The current PM has had a long career in economics and banking, serving as the governor of the Bank of Canada, chair of the Financial Stability board and the governor of the Bank of England.
Carney sees his experience with the economy as an asset to the current tariffs Trump has imposed on Canada. “I know how to manage crises,” he said during a leadership debate in February, per BBC. “In a situation like this, you need experience in terms of crisis management, you need negotiating skills.”
Compared to Trudeau, Carney seems to be more center-leaning, having promised to cut taxes and put a cap on immigration targets.
The Conservative party candidate: 45-year-old Pierre Poilievre, having served as an MP for Carleton since he was 25, is the Conservative party leader in the upcoming election.
Poilievre has run a “Canada first” campaign, and like the other party leaders, criticizes Trump’s claims he wants to annex the country.
In Ottawa on Sunday, Poilievre addressed frustrations Canadians have felt toward the U.S. “You can be respectful and firm, and I believe we have to be both. I will insist the president recognize the independence and sovereignty of Canada. I will insist that he stop tariffing our nation,” per the National Post.
“At the same time,” he continued, “I will strengthen our country so that we can be capable of standing (on) our own two feet and standing up to the Americans, where and when necessary. That’s what it means when I say let’s put Canada first for a change.”
Bloc Quebecois party candidate: Political wild card Yves-François Blanchet is the party leader for the Bloc Quebecois, a party dedicated to Quebec nationalism, per BBC. The party first emerged as an effort declare Quebec’s sovereignty from Canada but has since softened its stance.
The bloc is regarded as a “center-right nationalist party” by the Canadian Encyclopedia. Like Poilievre favors Canada-first approaches to governance, Bloc Quebecois party members favor “Quebec-first” approaches that protect Quebec’s French-rooted culture.
Blanchet is also in favor of restricting oil manufacturing for environmental conservation, according to his statement at the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.
New Democratic party candidate: Jagmeet Singh worked as a criminal defense attorney in Toronto before winning a parliamentary seat for Burnaby, British Columbia.
Singh has pledged to forgive student debt, reduce carbon emissions and provide universal prescription drug coverage for Canadians, as the BBC reported.
Singh announced his run for prime minister on Sunday on X, writing, “I am running in this election to help you — not the billionaires.” He added that he would focus his campaign on protecting pensions, getting dental care and Pharmacare for Canadians and “taking on corporate greed.”