The Conservative Party, the opposition to Mark Carney's Liberal Party, is starting to respond to his election announcement.

Former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer says, "Carney will make Canada poorer, weaker and more vulnerable to the US."

In a post on X, he says Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre will instead make the country "come out stronger than ever".

Michelle Rempel Garner, Conservative MP for Calgary Nose Hill, writes that "the lost decade of Liberal caused crises is about to end".

As we've reported, Poilievre spoke shortly before Carney, launching his party's election campaign as they try to take control of the government.

He centred his speech around the slogan "Canada first for a change".

We've been covering Mark Carney's announcement of a snap election.

Here's what we know so far.

• Canadians will vote on 28 April after Prime Minister Mark Carney called a snap election
• Carney says his government wants a "strong positive mandate", adding that Trump's tariffs are among the "most significant threats of our lifetimes"
• The announcement marks the start of an election campaign that pits Carney against his main rival, Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party
• The Canadian prime minister says Poilievre's approach is "uncannily familiar" to Donald Trump's

• Meanwhile, ahead of Carney's announcement, Poilievre kicked off his campaign, vowing to cut taxes, "unleash" natural resources and bring jobs back to Canada

We'll bring you more analysis and reaction soon.

Carney is asked, in French, about relations with the US and Trump.

He replies, also in French, that he is "fully able to stand up" to the US president.

But he says there are conditions to the relationship. Trump has to recognise that Canada is a sovereign country – "he has to say it and accept it."

Carney says Trump needs to do that before they have a broader discussion on a trade agreement.

The two leaders haven't spoken yet since Carney was sworn in nine days ago.

That's the end of the news conference. We'll bring you a recap of all the key lines shortly.

Asked about his Catholic faith, Carney says he supports a "woman's right to choose" – in other words, access to abortion.

He says he backs the policy, as does the Liberal Party.

As for his personal faith or spirituality, Carney says, "it informs my sense of responsibility and service" and a desire to "serve our country the best I can".

Carney now takes aim at his main challenger, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party.

On foreign aid, he accuses Poilievre of following Donald Trump's lead after the US president tried to shut down the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

"Not our approach, obviously," Carney says, adding that Poilievre's positions are "uncannily familiar" to those of the White House.

Image source, Reuters

Carney is now taking questions from reporters, which is expected to last 15 minutes, we're told.

First, he's asked why an election is being called in the middle of a tariff war.

Carney says his team has put protections in place for businesses and highlights what he has achieved in his first nine days as prime minister.

Image source, Reuters

As he kicks off his campaign, Carney speaks out against negative politics.

"It's easy to be negative about everything when you’ve never fixed anything," he says. "It's easy to be negative about everything when you’ve never built anything."

He adds that negativity "won't win a trade war," nor will it help Canadians pay for their rent, mortgage or education.

Carney says he needs a clear, positive mandate to deal with Donald Trump and create an economy that benefits everyone.

He recognises that his generation was fortunate, while younger people today have to work just as hard but struggle to afford rent and save for their children's future.

The trade war with America is one of the "most significant threats of our lifetimes," says Carney.

"He wants to break us so America will own us. We will not let that happen," he says.

Carney says he has asked for parliament to be dissolved and an election to be held on 28 April.

He says he wants a "strong positive mandate from my fellow Canadians."

"There is so much more to do to secure Canada," he says.

Carney highlights plans to support farmers and businesses during a trade war with the US, as well as expanding dental care for millions of residents.

• What does it mean to dissolve the parliament? Earlier, we brought you an explainer

Carney is now talking about what his government has done since being sworn in last week.

He mentions signing a new national defence agreement with Australia, strengthening Canada's ties with France and the UK, and starting discussions on a new trade deal with the EU.

Carney says he scrapped the carbon tax "to end the division it was creating".

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called an election for 28 April.

Stick with us, more to come.

Image source, Reuters

Carney is speaking now.

He says he "knew our country needed to take action" to fight the Americans, tackle Trump's tariffs and fix the Canadian economy.

Mark Carney has just left his meeting with the governor general and is set to hold a media conference soon.

We expect him to call a snap election.

You can watch it by clicking Watch live at the top of this page.

Stay with us for the latest.

Let's also take a look at Liberal leader Mark Carney's new campaign ad, external, which plays on the phrase "elbows up".

In the ad, Carney and Canadian actor Mike Myers chat at a hockey rink, both wearing hockey jerseys.

Carney tests Myers on how Canadian he still is, as the actor now lives in the US.

At the end, the camera pans to the back of their jerseys. Myers is wearing number 51, and instead of his last name, the word "never" is stitched on his jersey.

Image source, Mark Carney

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has touted his "Canada first" message in a campaign ad, external released on Saturday.

"We will go from being a nation of tax collectors and tollmasters of bureaucrats and busybodies of gatekeepers and grandees of rulers and rule makers," he says in the video. "Instead, we will be a nation of explorers and entrepreneurs."

He goes on to say the Conservatives will restore the promise of Canada.

"Canada, let's bring it home," he tells a crowd, who cheer as he finishes.

Now, Poilievre is taking questions from reporters.

He's asked directly if he respects Donald Trump.

He replies that he respects the office of the US president. He says Americans buy three-quarters of Canadian goods and that Canada is America's neighbour.

But he continues: "I don't respect the treatment he has made to our country. We can be both respectful and firm and strong. And I will be all three."

Image source, CBC

Pierre Poilievre is now wrapping up the speech in Gatineau.

His message to voters focused on the economy, with promises to cut taxes, "unleash" natural resources, build housing, secure borders and bring jobs back to Canada.

On Donald Trump and the US trade war with Canada, Poilievre believes the country must respond firmly to threats from the White House.

"We have to convert our anger and our anxiety into action," he says. "We have to become strong, self-reliant and sovereign to stand up to the Americans."

Image source, Getty Images

Candian Prime Minister Mark Carney is now meeting with Governor General Mary Simon. He is likely requesting for the parliament to be dissolved.

Dissolution marks the end of a parliament and the start of a general election.

Any business in the House of Commons and the Senate stops as preparations for the election begin.

The parliament is dissolved when the governor general, Mary Simon, prompted by the prime minister, issues three proclamations to start the dissolution process.

Stick with us, we'll bring you all the updates as they happen.

Jessica Murphy
BBC News, Toronto

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is now giving a pre-election news conference in Gatineau, Quebec, just across the river from Ottawa, the national capital.

Off the bat, he seeks to tie the record of the Liberals under Justin Trudeau to Mark Carney, the party's new leader.

Poilievre calls it a "lost Liberal decade" in Canada.

The Liberals have been in power for nine years, and if they win, it will be their fourth mandate.

Trudeau won a majority in 2015, and then two successive minority governments in 2019 and 2021.

Poilievre is running under the slogan "Canada First".