Carney says Trump key issue in Canada's election

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Wednesday that the key question in Canada's election is who is best to deal with US President Donald Trump while his Conservative rival argued that Carney doesn't represent change after a decade of Liberal Party rule.

Opposition Conservative Pierre Poilievre said during the French-language leaders' debate that Canada needs change and Carney is just like his predecessor Justin Trudeau.

“Mr Poilievre is not Justin Trudeau. I'm not Justin Trudeau either. In this election the question is who is going to face Mr Trump," Carney said.

Trump's trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st state have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in Canadian nationalism that has bolstered Liberal Party poll numbers ahead of the April 28 vote.

Poilievre is imploring Canadians not to give the Liberals a fourth term. He hoped to make the election a referendum on Trudeau, whose popularity declined towards the end of his decade in power as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged.

But Trump attacked, Trudeau resigned and Carney, a two-time central banker, became Liberal party leader and prime minister after a party leadership race.