Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has called a snap election on 28 April, firing the starting gun on a contest that is widely expected to focus on the strained relationship with the US amid threats to Canada’s economic and political future.

Axar.az reports citing Guardian, “We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetime because of President Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” he said. “He wants to break us, so America can own us. We will not let this happen. We’re over the shock the shock of the betrayal, but we can never forget the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves. We have to look out for each other.”

Moments before, Carney met the governor general, Mary Simon, requesting she dissolve the country’s 44th parliament and call an election. Under federal law, the minimum length of a campaign is 37 days.