# Canada PM Trudeau planning snap election, seeks approval for COVID response – sources Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-08-12 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Trudeau calls snap election for voter approval of COVID-19 Meta Description: Trudeau seeks voter approval for COVID-19 plans in upcoming election. Liberals aim to inject C$100 billion into economy amid opposition pushback. URL: https://financedigest.com/canada-pm-trudeau-planning-snap-election-seeks-approval-for-covid-response-sourceshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-08-12t151624z1lynxmpeh7b0vhrtroptp3canada-politics-1736838021254-compressed.jpg) By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is planning a snap election for Sept. 20 to seek voter approval for the government’s costly plans to combat COVID-19, four sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Trudeau is set to make the announcement on Sunday, said the sources, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. Trudeau aides have said for months that the [ruling Liberals would push](https://www.financedigest.com/kosovo-pushes-ahead-with-car-licensing-rule-resisted-by-serbs.html "Kosovo pushes ahead with car licensing rule resisted by Serbs") for a vote before the end of 2021, two years ahead of schedule. Trudeau only has a minority [government and relies on other parties to push](https://www.financedigest.com/internet-data-growth-has-not-pushed-up-telcos-network-costs-dutch-government-says.html "Internet data growth has not pushed up telcos’ network costs, Dutch government says") through legislation. In recent months he has complained about what he [calls opposition](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-opposition-calls-for-better-online-protections-for-children.html "UK opposition calls for better online protections for children") obstruction. The Liberals racked up record levels of debt as they spent heavily to shield individuals and [businesses from COVID-19](https://www.financedigest.com/sme-productivity-programme-re-purposed-to-help-businesses-prepare-for-covid-19-economic-recovery.html "SME productivity programme re-purposed to help businesses prepare for Covid-19 economic recovery"). They [plan to inject an extra C$100 billion](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-seeks-clarification-on-italy-post-covid-plan-freezes-19-billion-euros.html "EU seeks clarification on Italy post-COVID plan, freezes 19 billion euros") ($80 billion) – between 3% and 4% of GDP – into the economy over the next three years. Trudeau came to power in 2015 with a majority of the 338 seats in the House of Commons, but in 2019 he was reduced to a minority after old photos emerged of him wearing blackface. “Circumstances have changed massively since 2019. We need to know whether Canadians support our [plans for economic](https://www.financedigest.com/uae-plans-long-term-economic-ties-with-israel-despite-political-strains.html "UAE plans long-term economic ties with Israel despite political strains") recovery,” said one of the sources. Growth is set to rebound in the third quarter and Canada currently has one of the [world’s best inoculation records](https://www.financedigest.com/red-box-recorders-launches-worlds-first-automated-audio-recording-compliance-verification-tool.html "RED BOX RECORDERS LAUNCHES WORLD’S FIRST  AUTOMATED AUDIO-RECORDING COMPLIANCE VERIFICATION TOOL"). Liberals acknowledge a call for an election now would be a gamble, [given that recent opinion polls suggest the party is not yet guaranteed a majority and the risk posed by a fourth](https://www.financedigest.com/apple-given-fourth-dutch-fine-in-app-store-dispute.html "Apple given fourth Dutch fine in App Store dispute") wave of COVID-19, which has already started. Chief Public Health Officer Teresa Tam on Thursday [reported a strong](https://www.financedigest.com/strong-nighttime-earthquake-jolts-sleeping-mexicans-at-least-one-death-reported.html "Strong nighttime earthquake jolts sleeping Mexicans, at least one death reported") resurgence in cases of COVID-19. The number of people being treated in hospital has risen by 12% compared to last week, she told a briefing. After several months of declining severity trends, we are now [seeing early signs](https://www.financedigest.com/adecco-sees-signs-of-a-hiring-slowdown-at-start-of-2023.html "Adecco sees signs of a hiring slowdown at start of 2023") of increase in severe illness,” she said. Fortunately, the number of deaths [remains low.”](https://www.financedigest.com/volume-of-periodic-payment-orders-remains-low-according-to-aon-uk-motor-insurance-study.html "Volume of periodic payment orders remains low, according to Aon UK motor insurance study") The official opposition Conservatives, Trudeau’s main rivals, [say his spending is excessive and will leave](https://www.financedigest.com/turkey-says-five-more-grain-ships-leave-ukrainian-ports.html "Turkey says five more grain ships leave Ukrainian ports") future generations hobbled by debt. That said, a [survey by Abacus on Thursday put the Liberals at 37% and the Conservatives at 28%](https://www.financedigest.com/survey-data-28-brits-say-brexit-sped-decision-buy-uk-holiday-home-year.html "Survey Data: 28% of Brits Say Brexit Has Sped Up Their Decision to Buy a UK Holiday Home This Year"). The online poll of 3,000 people, conducted between Aug. 6 and 11, suggests Trudeau could well regain [control of the House](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-u-s-regulators-could-be-pressured-by-slim-republican-house-control.html "Analysis-U.S. regulators could be pressured by slim Republican House control") of Commons. The Liberals currently hold 155 of the 338 seats. To formally launch the campaign Trudeau will need to visit Governor General Mary Simon, the personal representative of head of state [Queen Elizabeth](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-prince-harry-and-wife-meghan-will-attend-celebrations-for-queen-elizabeth.html "UK’s Prince Harry and wife Meghan will attend celebrations for Queen Elizabeth"), to ask that Parliament be dissolved. That visit is currently planned for Sunday morning, the sources said. Constitutional experts [say Simon will agree](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-france-agreed-to-fix-u-s-subsidies-issues-says-macron.html "U.S., France agreed to “fix” U.S. subsidies issues, says Macron") to the request. The Liberal party did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ($1 = 1.2516 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by David LjunggrenEditing by Chizu Nomiyama, Steve Orlofsky and Jonathan Oatis) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---