Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has called a snap election on 28 April, firing the starting gun on a contest that is widely expected to focus on the strained relationship with the US amid threats to Canada’s economic and political future, writes The Guardian.

“We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetime because of President [Donald] Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty”, he said. “He wants to break us, so America can own us. We will not let this happen. We’re over the shock of the betrayal, but we can never forget the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves. We have to look out for each other”.

Moments before, Carney met the governor general, Mary Simon, requesting she dissolve the country’s 44th parliament and call an election. Under federal law, the minimum length of a campaign is 37 days.

By calling the snap election in search of a “strong, positive mandate”, Carney does not have to face a hostile parliament - a showdown complicated by the fact that he doesn’t have a seat in the House of Commons. Parliament had been due to return on Monday after being prorogued for two months, following former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation announcement in early January.

Carney’s decision comes as the Liberals experience an unprecedented swing in the polls that has now put them ahead of the Conservatives, with some projecting the party has enough support nationally to form a majority government.