Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Conservative opponent stressed that US President Donald Trump must respect Canada's sovereignty as they kicked off their election campaign on Sunday.
Mr Carney has announced a five-week campaign ahead of the April 28 election.
“We are facing the most serious crisis in our history because of President Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” he said.
“President Trump says Canada is not a real country. He wants to break us so America can control us. We will not allow that.”
The ruling Liberals appeared to be heading for a historic election defeat this year until Mr Trump launched a trade war. He has repeatedly said Canada should become the 51st US state and acknowledged that this has changed Canadian politics.
Mr Trump's near-daily attacks on Canadian sovereignty have fuelled resentment among Canadians and fuelled nationalist sentiment, which in turn has boosted the Liberals' popularity.
“They want our resources. They want our water. They want our land. They want our country. Never,” Mr. Carney said at a rally in Newfoundland.
The election campaign for the 343 seats in the House of Commons will last 37 days. Although other parties are also running, only the Liberals and Conservatives have a realistic chance of forming a government.
Mr Carney succeeds Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remained in power until the Liberal Party chose a new leader in a leadership contest.
The opposition Conservatives had hoped to turn the election into a referendum on Mr. Trudeau, whose popularity has waned amid rising food and housing costs and a surge in immigration. But after decades of two-party stability, the vote is expected to focus on who can best deal with Mr. Trump.
Mr Carney said the choice for Canadians was “a Canadian Trump or a government that unites.”
“Canadians are always ready when someone challenges them,” he said, referring to hockey. “In this trade war, as in hockey, we will win.”
Mr Trump has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium and is threatening to impose universal tariffs on all Canadian goods, as well as those of all American trading partners, starting April 2.
Conservative leader
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
