Mark Carney Calls Snap Elections in Canada Amid Trump Threats

Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada called on Sunday for a federal election to take place on April 28, cementing on the calendar another major event as the country experiences one of its most tumultuous and unpredictable periods.

President Trump has imposed painful tariffs on Canada and said more are coming, while also threatening its sovereignty, turning on America’s closest ally and trading partner and upending decades of close cooperation in every sphere.

“We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” Mr. Carney said, speaking to the news media in Ottawa.

“President Trump claims that Canada isn’t a real country. He wants to break us so America can own us,” he added. “We will not let that happen. We’re over the shock of the betrayal, but we should never forget the lessons.”

Mr. Carney, 60, a political novice with a long career in central banking and finance, was only elected leader of Canada’s Liberal Party on March 9, and was sworn in as prime minister on March 14. He replaced Justin Trudeau, who had led the Liberals for 13 years and the country for nearly a decade, but had grown deeply unpopular.

Mr. Carney had been widely expected to call for a quick election. He does not have a seat in Canada’s parliament, and the Liberals do not command a majority, meaning that their government was likely to fall in a vote of no-confidence as early as Monday had he not called for the election.