Top political parties gear up for Sunday election call

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre gestures toward the cameras after greeting and handing out donuts to members at LiUNA! Local 527's training centre on Friday, March 21, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA — Canadians may be keeping their “elbows up” as the U.S. pursues its trade war, but the main federal party leaders are dropping the gloves as an election call inches closer.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is widely expected to ask Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament on Sunday, leading to a vote at the end of April or early May.

On Friday, political party leaders presented themselves as the best people to take on U.S. President Donald Trump’s chaotic trade agenda.

At a morning news conference in Ottawa, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre made a campaign-style announcement about boosting training and employment for workers in the skilled trades.

He also took the opportunity to claim Carney wouldn’t be able to stand up to Trump as well as he could, and vowed to “unleash the great Canadian promise.”

“The choice in the next election is very clear,” he said in front of an audience of local construction union members.

Carney made an announcement of his own later in the afternoon, confirming his government won’t move ahead with a hike to the inclusion rate on capital gains that was first pitched by the Liberals in the federal budget last year.

That tax change drew sharp criticism from some tech leaders and professional groups at the time, but enabling legislation was never passed. Carney said dropping the change will encourage business owners to take risks.

The NDP hosted media on Friday for the launch of its campaign headquarters in Ottawa and unveiled its slogan for the upcoming race: “In it for you.” It’s the same slogan the party used in the 2019 federal election.

Campaign director Jennifer Howard told reporters the NDP will differentiate itself from the Liberals and Conservatives by presenting itself as the party that looks out for the interests of ordinary Canadians.

Howard, who was also the campaign director for the federal NDP in 2019 and 2021, expressed confidence in the party’s chances even as polls show dwindling support.

“We have all the money in place. We have a team ready to go. The leader is ready to go. So I feel like we’re more ready than we’ve ever been for this campaign,” she said.

Carney met Friday with the leaders of the Assembly of First Nations, the Metis National Council and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami ahead of a scheduled meeting with premiers and territorial leaders.

As that meeting with Indigenous leaders was taking place, the NDP released a statement slamming what they called Carney’s poor track record on respecting Indigenous rights while he worked at Brookfield Asset Management.

“The more we get to know Mark Carney, the clearer it is that on reconciliation -- he’s not part of the solution, he’s part of the problem,” said NDP MP Niki Ashton in a media statement.

“The NDP will always stand up and defend justice for Indigenous Peoples.”

Carney’s meeting with premiers was expected to focus on Chinese and U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports entering the country, prompting Canada to respond with retaliatory measures.

Beijing imposed tariffs in response to Canada’s levies on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum.

By Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press

-- With files from Craig Lord and Catherine Morrison in Ottawa

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2025.