What to know about Canada's election and its stakes
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Canadians head to the polls Monday to decide whether Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party maintains the reins or whether the Conservatives return to power for the first time in nearly a decade.
Why it matters: The results will have ramifications for Canada's suddenly shaky relations with the U.S. President Trump's tariffs and his repeated threats of annexing Canada as the "51st state" have frayed long-standing ties between the two nations.
The latest: Trump again called for Canada to become the 51st state in a Monday Truth Social post wishing his northern neighbors "[g]ood luck."
- "Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st," he wrote.
Catch up quick: Canadians haven't taken kindly to Trump's overtures, and the backlash gave the Liberal Party new life after it appeared to be heading for a wipeout.
- A record-setting 7.3 million people already cast early ballots as of last Tuesday, the CBC reported.
Driving the news: Carney was chosen by his party to take over leadership after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down earlier this year.
- His opponent, Conservative Pierre Poilievre, has drawn comparisons to Trump for echoing populist themes. But he has seen his polling advantage evaporate as election day has neared, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Here's what to know about Canada's upcoming election:
How do Canada's elections work?
Canada's election was scheduled when Carney — days after being sworn in as the prime minister — last month called for a snap election on April 28.
- When the prime minister triggers an election, he must ask the governor general to dissolve Parliament, according to Elections Canada.
- By law, the maximum time allowed between federal elections in the country is five years, meaning the next vote would have been held in October had Carney not called for one sooner.
State of play: Canada is divided into 343 federal electoral districts.
- There are four main parties to watch in the upcoming election, per the BBC: the Liberals, the Conservatives, the New Democrats (NDP) and the Bloc Québécois.
- At the time of the dissolution, the Liberals held more than 150 seats. The Conservatives had 120 seats, the Bloc Quebecois had 33, the NDP had 24 and the Green Party had two, according to the House of Commons website.
How is the Canadian prime minister elected?
Context: Voters do not directly elect the prime minister.
- The candidate who receives the most votes in their district (known as a "riding") becomes its member in the House of Commons, and the political party with the most members traditionally forms the government, per Elections Canada.
- The leader of that party would be the prime minister.
Zoom in: Carney, who was elected by Liberal Party members to succeed Trudeau, is running for parliament for the first time to represent a district in a suburban Ottawa area.
Who are the leaders?
Carney is a 60-year-old former bank governor who was sworn in as prime minister in March.
- He previously helmed both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, and helped the institutions navigate the financial crisis and Brexit, respectively.
- Though he is a newcomer to electoral politics, Carney advised Trudeau on Canada's economic response to COVID-19 and was tapped last year to chair the Liberal Party's Task Force on Economic Growth.
Poilievre, 45, has led Canada's Conservative Party since 2022.
- He was first elected to office as a member of parliament in 2004 and served as a senior cabinet member under Trudeau's predecessor, Stephen Harper.
- His biography touts him as a "life-long conservative, champion of a free market." He has denounced "wokeism" but has also recently taken aim at Trump.
Jagmeet Singh of the New Democrats and Yves-François Blanchet of the Bloc Québécois are also fighting to maintain parliamentary representation, according to the New York Times.
What are some of the issues?
At the onset of the campaign, CBC reported that voters were most concerned with which party was best suited to counter the Trump administration.
- Now, some other issues are rising in prominence, like the cost of living and health care.
Zoom in: Trump's tariffs loom large, and responding to them remains a key part of the parties' platforms.
- The Liberals' plan includes a $2 billion strategic response fund to shield the Canadian auto industry and boost competitiveness.
- The Conservatives have pledged to create a temporary "Keep Canadians Working Fund" that would provide up to $3 billion in short-term credit lines and low-interest loans for businesses affected by tariffs.
What has Trump said about Canada's election?
Trump said last month in a Fox News interview that he doesn't care who wins the Canadian election.
- "I think it's easier to deal, actually, with a liberal and maybe they're going to win, but I don't really care," he said. "It doesn't matter to me at all."
- He jabbed at Poilievre, saying he is "stupidly, no friend of mine."
- Trump added, "When he says negative things, I couldn't care less."
Zoom out: Carney and Trump described talks between them last month as constructive and productive, though sources told Radio-Canada Trump talked about his idea of making Canada the 51st state.
- Carney previously said that Canada is "facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President Trump's unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty."
- The president has not trolled Carney as much as his predecessor, whom he openly mocked as "Governor" Trudeau.
Go deeper: Canada joins other countries in updating travel advisories for U.S.
