Carney plans to trigger an early election in Canada as he shows off skating skills with an NHL team WSOC TV [Video]

TORONTO — (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will trigger an early election this weekend for an expected vote on April 28, a government official said Thursday, against the backdrop of a trade war and sovereignty threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Carney will go to Governor-General Mary Simon on Sunday and request to dissolve Parliament, said the official, who wasn’t authorized to publicly give details and spoke on condition of anonymity. Simon’s office holds a constitutional and ceremonial role as the representative of Canada’s head of state, King Charles III.

The campaign for the election, which is due by October but can be called at any time before then by a prime minister, will then officially begin.

The prime minister said the convention in Canada is that the governor general will know first whether an election will be called.

“In this time of crisis the government needs a strong and clear mandate,” Carney said in Edmonton, Alberta.

Carney earlier joined the Edmonton …