The prime minister hopes his handling of the pandemic will help his Liberal Party win a majority in the House of Commons. Opponents say voting amid a Covid surge is dangerous. OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday announced an early election in Canada, a step he said was needed to give his government a mandate for dealing with the pandemic and the recovery from its economic effects.
The widely anticipated move signaled his confidence that voters would return him to power after three consecutive campaigns.
The election, scheduled for Sept. 20, will come less than two years after the previous vote and at a time when coronavirus cases are rising in many parts of the country, leading health officials to declare that a fourth wave is underway. Mr. Trudeau could have waited until 2024 to call an election.
“Everyone understands that we are really at a pivotal moment in the history of our country,” Mr. Trudeau said after asking Governor General Mary Simon to dissolve Parliament to permit the snap election. “This is a moment where Canadians can and should be able to weigh in on what we’re going through and on how we’re going to build a society that is stronger and better.”
