Canada is set for a snap election on April 28. Prime Minister Mark Carney met the Governor General Mary Simon on Sunday morning in Ottawa and requested her to dissolve the House of Commons, precipitating the campaign to form the country’s next government.

The election will be held nearly six months ahead of the originally scheduled date of October 27.

After meeting the Governor General, Carney announced the election date. “I’m asking for a strong positive mandate from my fellow Canadians,” he said.

US President Donald Trump’s threats to Canada figured prominently in his campaign-style speech: “He wants to break us so America can own us, we will never allow that to happen.” He said he required a fresh mandate to “stand up” to Trump.

Carney took to populism as he promised “big change” including a middle-class tax cut, while repeating his reversal of several measures announced by his predecessor Justin Trudeau, including eliminating a consumer carbon tax and a capital gains hike.