Canada’s federal election campaign is underway and U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats that he intends to use “economic force” to annex Canada are already emerging as a hot topic.
Leaders of all the main federal parties hit the ground running Monday on the first full day of campaigning, pushing back on Trump’s trade war and his repeated remarks to make Canada part of the United States.
Liberal Party Leader Mark Carney, who has yet to speak with Trump since he was officially sworn in as the prime minister, said he’s “available for a call” with the U.S. president but added that “we’re going to talk on our terms.”
“President Trump wants to break us, so America can own us. We will not let that happen,” Carney said at a campaign stop in Gander, N.L.
On Sunday, Carney triggered the federal election, seeking a “strong, positive mandate” to be able to stand up to Trump’s threats and negotiate “the best deal for Canadians.”
The federal election, which will be held on April 28, is taking place against the backdrop of Trump’s trade war with Canada, which has included several rounds of tariffs with the promise of more to come.
Trump has threatened Canada’s sovereignty, repeatedly calling for Canada to become the 51st U.S. state and using “economic force” to make it so.
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“Unfortunately, President Trump’s actions have put that kinship under greater strain today than at any time in our storied history,” Carney said.
“I’m just looking for respect at this point, acknowledgment of our sovereign nation,” he added.
The U.S. has so far imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods, as well as an additional 25 per cent on steel and aluminum imports and a 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy imports. Global “reciprocal” tariffs on all foreign imports, including from Canada, are planned for April 2.
Canada has already responded to Trump’s trade actions with counter-tariffs on almost $60 billion worth of American goods, which were announced in retaliation for the 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods and a subsequent round that was retaliation for the steel and aluminum tariffs.
Going forward, Carney said both countries need to have a comprehensive discussion on the broader economic and security partnership.
“We’re going to wade this out. They’re going to come to the table and we’re going to negotiate a good deal for you.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was in Brampton, Ont., Monday.
He blamed the Liberal government for putting the country in what he said was an “unprecedented place of weakness” in the face of Trump’s threats.
“I know that people are scared. They feel threatened. They’ve lived through hell over the last decade, and now they’re facing these unjustified threats from President Trump and, quite frankly, he needs to knock it off,” Poilievre said at a press conference.
Speaking in Montreal, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Trump’s tariffs are not a game to win or lose the elections.
He was responding to a question from a reporter about comments made by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith earlier this month, saying she has asked the Trump administration to put tariffs on pause until after Canada’s federal election because the trade war is benefiting the Liberals in the polls.
“This is not a game. This is serious. We’ve got to defend our country. We can’t afford to have people going off and trying to cut deals that hurt political parties,” Singh said.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet was asked by a reporter in Montreal on Sunday about who he thinks would be best to deal with Trump. Blanchet replied, with a chuckle: “I read Newton, what goes up goes down. If that’s good for me, that’s good for Mr. Carney.”
Green Party co-leader Elizabeth May said despite the country being in an election, “we have to remain Team Canada.”
“This is an election where … vote like your country depends on it,” May said Sunday while launching her party’s election campaign in Montreal.
“There’s not just one threat — one person whose name is Trump; there’s a global billionaire class of oligarchs who seek to destroy democracies all around the world.”
An Ipsos poll for Global News released in late February showed the Liberals narrowly ahead of the Conservatives in a hypothetical election matchup for the first time since 2021.
Under Carney, the Liberals have further widened that lead over the Tories, according to the latest Ipsos poll released last week.
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