Canada’s Trudeau calls snap elections

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday announced snap elections for September 20 to seek a new mandate to steer the nation's pandemic exit, much to the dismay of his rival parties.

Despite rolling out massive pandemic aid, passing a federal budget and other key legislation with opposition backing over the past year, Trudeau -- in office since 2015 -- has lamented that parliament has become dysfunctional.

The prime minister met Governor General Mary Simon yesterday to ask her to dissolve parliament, triggering a general election that polling shows is likely to return his Liberals to power.

"Canadians need to choose how we finish the fight against Covid-19 and build back better -– from getting the job done on vaccines, to having people's backs all the way through to the end of this crisis," Trudeau said after the meeting.