Under threat from Trump, Ottawa to hold snap poll

Canada’s new prime minister Mark Carney was expected to announce snap elections yesterday, seeking a stronger mandate as his country fights off a trade war and annexation threats from Donald Trump’s United States.

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The former central banker was chosen by the centrist Liberal Party to replace Justin Trudeau as prime minister, but he has never faced the broader Canadian electorate.

That will change on April 28, if, as expected, Mr Carney announces he is bringing parliamentary elections forward several months from October.

Government sources told AFP that he would announce the decision at 12.30pm local time in a speech to Canada’s 41-million-strong nation.

In power for a decade, the Liberal government had slid into deep unpopularity, but Mr Carney will be hoping to ride a wave of Canadian patriotism to a new majority — thanks to Mr Trump’s threats.

Mr Trump has riled his northern neighbour by repeatedly dismissing its sovereignty and borders as artificial, and urging it to join the United States as the 51st state.