BREAKING: Canadian PM Mark Carney to hold snap election April 28: report

Newly sworn-in Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will hold an early federal election set for April 28, according to a report by the CBC.

Sources familiar with the plans confirmed the date with reporters at the outlet, and Carney is anticipated to ask the Governor General on Sunday to dissolve Parliament, officially beginning the federal election campaign.

If the election is called on that day, the campaign will last 37 days, the minimum length allowed under Canadian law, as federal campaigns must be between 37 and 51 days.

"What's clear is that in this time of crisis the government needs a strong and clear mandate," Carney told reporters in Edmonton.

The decision to hold an early election comes as public opinion polls show the Liberal Party holding a slight lead. CBC’s poll tracker reports the Liberals under Carney at 37.8 percent, narrowly ahead of the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, who are polling at 37.2 percent.

The next election was not due until October, however, Carney is seeking to capitalize on his Liberal Party's drastic improvement in polls since January after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation. 

At the forefront of the election is the ongoing dispute between the US and Canada. The two countries have continued to threaten tariffs against one another, and President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that Canada should join the US and become "the 51st state."

Conservative leader Poilievre has pledged to put "Canada first" amid the ongoing trade dispute with the US. “We will stand up to the Americans and stand up for ourselves,” he said.