Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has taken his election campaign to Quebec, saying only he could protect the predominantly French-speaking province from US President Donald Trump.
Polls show the ruling Liberals have a narrow lead over the Conservatives ahead of an April 28 election that Carney says is one of the most crucial in Canada's history.
Any party wishing to win power must do well in Quebec, which has the second-largest number of seats in the House of Commons after Ontario and is home to an independence movement dedicated to protecting the role of French and local culture.
Trump has imposed tariffs on imports from Canada and mused about annexing the country.
"This threat is not only an economic threat, it is an existential threat. To be clear, President Trump is threatening the distinct identity of Quebecers," Carney said at a campaign event in the city of Trois-Rivieres on Tuesday.
"We'll be able to protect Quebec, protect our sovereignty and build Canada strong ... if you want a strong government that will defend Quebec and stand up to Donald Trump, you must vote for that," he said, reiterating calls for a strong mandate.
Trois-Rivieres, one of several Quebec parliamentary constituencies where three and sometimes four parties are contesting the vote, is a key Liberal target.
In the 2021 election, the separatist Bloc Quebecois won Trois-Rivieres with 29.5 percent of the vote, ahead of the Conservatives' 29.4 percent and the Liberals' 28.6 percent.
Snap poll on April 28 has set the stage for one of Canada's most closely contested elections in recent memory. At stake: the country's direction on critical fronts — trade relations, housing crisis, soaring inflation, and sovereignty.
Liberals ahead
Liberal campaign workers on the ground say there are clear signs that Bloc supporters will switch their votes because they see Carney as the best person to stand up to Trump.
A rolling three-day Nanos poll released on Tuesday put the Liberals at 42.6 percent public support nationally, with the Conservatives at 37.1 percent. The left-leaning New Democrats, who compete with the Liberals for the centre-left vote, trailed at 10.4 percent.
Such a result on Election Day would give the Liberals a majority of the 343 seats in the House of Commons.
The Nanos poll of 1,308 people was carried out from April 19 to 21 and is considered accurate to within 2.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
In a tight race, votes in a few Canadian electoral districts, known as "ridings," could determine the next prime minister.
Conservatives plan
The Conservatives issued their economic plan on Tuesday, which focused on tax cuts and reduced spending. The plan calls for a budget deficit of C$31.4 billion in 2025-26, less than the C$42.2 billion the government forecast in December.
The plan would "reverse the disastrous Liberal record, cut the cost of food and housing, let you keep more of what you earn and kill inflation so your dollar goes further", the party said in a statement.
Carney said a Liberal government could restore a fiscal surplus in four or five years if all goes to plan. A government mandate lasts up to four years.
