Carney to visit Governor General, kicking off federal election

Editor's note: This article originally appeared on ParliamentToday, a Village Media newsletter devoted exclusively to covering federal politics.

“Let’s go, let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go.”

That’s the word from Prime Minister Mark Carney this weekend as he kicks off a federal election.

Carney is scheduled to visit the Governor General at noon Sunday and hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m.

On Saturday evening, the Liberal Party confirmed Carney will run in the Ottawa riding of Nepean. It also released a video showing Carney in a Canada jersey standing rinkside with Canadian comedian Mike Myers. In it, Carney remarks that Myers lives in the United States now — and quizzes him about Canadiana trivia.

“What were the names of Mr. Dressup’s two puppet friends?”

“Casey and Finnegan?" Myers replies.

“Bud the?”

“Spud?”

Myers passes the test and asks Carney if there will “always be a Canada.”

Carney responds that there will be, and the two put their elbows up — a hockey move Myers called on Canadians to make in defence of Canada on a recent episode of Saturday Night Live.

Elbows up, Canada. pic.twitter.com/0gJ2opnPjZ

— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) March 22, 2025

The video and its slogan, “Canada Strong,” show the Carney is campaigning on a theme of nationalism in the face of increasing aggression from U.S. President Donald Trump.

He’s not the only one.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre released a video showcasing his promise of “Canada First.”

“We will go from being a nation of tax collectors” — here, a picture of Carney flashes on screen — “and toll masters, of bureaucrats and busybodies of gatekeepers and grandees, of rulers and rule-makers,” Poilievre says.

“Instead, we will be a nation of explorers and entrepreneurs, of adventurers and artists, of workers and warriors, of patriots and hard-working fellow citizens. My friends, we are going to restore the promise of Canada that anyone from anywhere can achieve anything that hard work gets you a great life and a beautiful house on a safe street wrapped in the protective arms of solid borders and brave troops under a proud flag.

“Canada, let's bring it home.”

We are going to restore the promise of Canada.

Let's bring it home 🇨🇦: https://t.co/eIy7PDtCaB pic.twitter.com/hEjIvWvLRa

— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) March 22, 2025

The two parties are close in the polls — a recent development that saw the Conservative's more-than-20-point lead evaporate after Justin Trudeau announced his resignation, as Carney took the helm of the Liberal party.

The NDP enters the election campaign polling in a very distant third.

Leader Jagmeet Singh rolled out his campaign bus, emblazoned with his promise that he’s “In it for you.”

In a video, Singh says he’s going to “fight for working-class people” and “everyday people.”

“We’re going to put them first, not the billionaires,” he says. “We’re going to put working families first, not the CEOs. That’s what we’re about.”

The Green Party, co-led by Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault, is set to launch its campaign in Montreal on Sunday. 

The sovereigntist Bloc Québécois, led by Yves-François Blanchet, is using the slogan, “Je choisis le Québec,” meaning “I choose Quebec.”

Editor's note: After this story was published, Carney did trigger the election, as expected. For that story, click here.