For the third day in a row, the federal election campaign mainly revolved around U.S. President Donald Trump after he and Prime Minister Mark Carney had a “productive” and “constructive” call about the ongoing trade war.
Carney said the “cordial” call was the start of the comprehensive negotiations, which are expected to ramp up following the election. He later announced a plan to invest in trade-enabling infrastructure as part of his response to U.S. tariffs.
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is campaigning in B.C. for the second day in a row and unveiled his plan to address crime that includes mandatory life sentences for fentanyl trafficking. Responding to the call between Trump and Carney, Poilievre accused the two of favouring costly taxes to Canadian industry.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh returned to Toronto where he made a housing announcement, most of which he has previously promised. Singh restated his commitment to “stop corporate landlords.” He later acknowledged in an interview with CP24 that the NDP’s message had not been gelling with voters but said his party still offer an important choice for Canadians.
Here’s a recap of what happened on Day 6 of the federal election campaign:
5:43 p.m. EDT: Trump’s ex-national security advisor on president’s change of tone
U.S. President Donald Trump struck a more amiable tone today when talking about Canada after his call with Prime Minister Mark Carney, in which they discussed tariffs and the relationship between the two countries.
Trump said, “Things are going to work out very well between Canada and the United States,” and according to Carney, the U.S. president respected Canada’s sovereignty during the call.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada and called former prime minister Justin Trudeau “governor.” Today, he referred to Carney as prime minister.
When asked if Canadians should read into this change of tone, Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton told CTV News chief political correspondent Vassy Kapelos, “I don’t think you should over-conclude on the basis of one telephone call, but both sides tried to give a positive reading to it.”
Bolton explained that Trump sees international relations “almost entirely” through a “personal prism.”
“So, (if) he has good relations with a foreign leader, he thinks U.S. relations with that country are good,” he said.
Bolton added that if Trump likes the leader of a country, it’s a “big step forward.”
“People say, ‘But it can’t be that simple. It has to be more complex,’ and my response is, no, it’s not. If Trump believes that he has friendly relations with someone, you know, like Vladimir Putin, then relations between the two countries will be much better,” he said.
Bryann Aguilar, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
4:25 p.m. EDT: Singh says lots of things have been ‘out of our control’
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh acknowledged Friday that his party’s message has not been gelling with voters, but said they still offer an important choice for Canadians.
“A lot of things have happened that are out of our control, but really, this election still is an important choice for Canadians, and we’ve got a whole campaign to make that case,” Singh told CP24’s Leena Latafat in a sit-down interview.
Asked about criticism, even from former NDP leader Tom Mulcair, that the election is essentially a “two-horse race” between Carney and Poilievre, Singh said the NDP have a track record of bringing about policy changes such as universal health care.
“All the things that we’re proud of, that we say ‘you know what? This is why we’re proud to be Canadian,’ happened because of New Democrats,” Singh said. “Dental care and pharmacare -- that only happened because I fought for it, because New Democrats fought for it. So we’ve shown people, if you want someone to actually make a difference in your life, to make your life better, New Democrats deliver.
Asked if he would stay on as leader if the NDP loses official party status, Singh said he’s focused on the election at hand.
“I’m not worried about the what’s going to happen after the elections. I’m in the campaign right now, and I’m going to make my case to Canadians,” Singh said.
He similarly refused to speculate on whether he’d work with the Liberals again in the case of another minority.
However he did rule out the idea of working with the Conservatives.
“I can say unequivocally, I will never support a Pierre Poilievre prime minister,” Singh said.
Joshua Freeman, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
4:19 p.m. EDT: Carney says call with Trump ‘cordial,’ U.S. president ‘respected Canada’s sovereignty’
Liberal Leader Mark Carney says his phone call with U.S. President Trump this morning was “cordial” and that both countries made “progress.”
“It’s the start of the negotiations, and we’ll see what the U.S. does on April 2. It’s still the case that there are tariffs on Canadian goods that exist now,” Carney said in French during a campaign stop at the Port of Montreal hours after the call with Trump.
“The spirit of the call was both cordial and focused on making progress.”
He later added: “The president respected Canada’s sovereignty today both in his private and public comments.” Trump has repeatedly called Canada as the 51st state.
The Liberal leader shared that the U.S. president did not indicate that the tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and auto would be rescinded. Carney said he informed the president that Canada still plans to impose countertariffs after the U.S. reveals the “reciprocal tariffs” on April 2.
Carney made the remarks as he announced how the Liberal government would plan to fight the tariffs, which is investing in “trade-enabling infrastructure.” It includes injecting $5 billion into a Trade Diversification Corridor Fund for “nation-building” projects at ports, railroads, airports, and highways.
Earlier, both leaders had good words to say about their call, separately describing it as “productive” and “constructive.
Bryann Aguilar, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist. With files from the CTVNews.ca election desk
3:40 p.m. EDT: Automakers warn new Trump tariffs will boost costs, cut vehicle sales
A group representing General Motors Toyota, Volkswagen and other major automakers warned new 25 per cent tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump plans to impose next week on imported vehicles will hurt U.S. consumers.“
Additional tariffs will increase costs on American consumers, lower the total number of vehicles sold inside the U.S. and reduce U.S. auto exports – all before any new manufacturing or jobs are created in this country," said Alliance for Automotive Innovation John Bozzella in a statement.
The group represents every major automaker.
David Shepardson, Reuters.
3:20 p.m. EDT: Ford’s campaign director to Poilievre’s team: ‘You’ve got to adjust’
The man behind Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s third consecutive majority has a message for the federal Conservative Party campaign: “You’ve got to adjust.”
Speaking to CTV News Channel on Friday, conservative strategist Kory Teneycke said Poilievre and his team could be in trouble as they are failing to centre the campaign around the issue that matters to Canadians at the moment, which is Trump and the threat he presents to the country.
“It’s inconvenient ... when you’re running a campaign, to have to adjust your plans to changing circumstances. But I think, you know, writ large, this election is going to be about Trump and tariffs,” Teneycke said.
“That’s what the electorate is overwhelmingly focused on and when you’re not winning that ... question, you’re going to have a lot of trouble, which is what I think we’re seeing.”
Teneycke said while it’s tempting for the Conservatives to want to go back in time, when they were ahead of the polls and the issues on top of Canadians’ minds were carbon tax and high interest rates, the landscape has changed.
“You saw the Conservatives had a laser like focus on those issues in two years proceeding, and the net result was that Canadians gravitated towards them. They were talking about the big issues that were on the minds of Canadians. Now the issues that are big in the minds of Canadians are not those same issues, and you’ve got to adjust,” Ford’s campaign director said, adding that Trump and his tariffs are what’s currently driving economic anxiety among voters.
Recent polls have suggested that the Liberals have surged while the Conservatives appear to be losing the momentum they’ve gained for the past two years.
“Message discipline is about what you choose not to talk about as much as what you choose to talk about,” Teneycke said.
“And so, we’ve had two big days of Trump tariffs driving the news and the Conservative message events: yesterday was about tax free savings accounts, and today it’s about fentanyl. So, you know what’s with that?”
Teneycke was referring to Poilievre announcing his party’s plan to tackle crime during a campaign stop in B.C. today, including mandatory life sentences for fentanyl trafficking.
READ MORE: Conservatives pledge life sentences for trafficking, so that ‘monsters rot in jail’
“I don’t want to find fault with some people wanting to talk about that particular issue, but in the context of a campaign, look, the news today is about Trump and tariffs and you really got to get in on that story,” he said.
Teneckye noted, however, that he is encouraged to see some signs that see Poilievre is trying to pivot and make his campaign more about dealing with Trump.
Yesterday, Poilievre talked about Trump during his opening remarks in Coquitlam, B.C., urging the U.S. president to “knock it off” and to “stop attacking America’s friends.”
Today, the Conservative leader compared Carney to Trump and accused both of being in favour of taxing Canadian industry.
“Trump with tariffs and Carney with carbon taxes,” Poilievre said.
Bryann Aguilar, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
2:30 p.m. EDT: Premiers had ‘good discussion’ with PM
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says his provincial counterparts had a “good discussion” with Prime Minister Mark Carney and other federal officials during their Friday meeting about U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
“There was participation from every single province and territory,” Kinew said. He shared that Carney provided premiers what he and Trump talked about during their first phone call this morning as well as the federal government’s plan to responds to American tariffs.
“Good discussion around the horn from all the premiers as well as the federal leaders there,” Kinew said. In a readout, the prime minister said that he had a “very constructive conversation” with Trump this morning and both countries agreed to begin “comprehensive negotiations” after the election. For his part, Trump said “things are going to work out very well between Canada and the United States.”
Bryann Aguilar, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
1:35 p.m. EDT: Poilievre says Carney, Trump have one thing in common
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, on the campaign trail in Nanaimo, B.C. on Friday, was asked to comment on the phone call between Carney and Trump.
He accused the Liberal Party of making Canada “too reliant on the Americans” and promised to strengthen interprovincial trade and trade with other nations.
He said it was “clear that the president would like to keep the Liberals in power. They’ve been very good for his agenda, to take our money and our jobs.”
Poilievre accused the Liberals of helping Trump’s cause by blocking pipelines, LNG plants, and raising taxes on industries.
“Mark Carney and Donald Trump have one thing in common -- they both favour taxing Canadian industry. Trump with tariffs and Carney with carbon taxes.”
Poilievre said he had a message for Trump: “True free trade, without tariffs, will allow both of our economies to separately grow stronger so that we can fund strong militaries and more secure borders, and make our continent safe against the real risks from overseas.”
Phil Hahn, CTVNews.ca election editor-in-chief
1:20 p.m. EDT: Trump: ‘things are going to work out’ with U.S., Canada
In a remarkable shift in tone from previous rhetoric on Canada, Trump said moments ago “I think things are going to work out very well between Canada the United States.
”Speaking about the upcoming reciprocal tariffs set to be imposed on all countries with levies against the U.S., Trump claimed “many countries” are taking advantage of the U.S., but with a caveat:
“I’m not referring to Canada,” he said, later adding, “We’re going to end up very good relationship with Canada.”
Despite his encouraging tone, he also said he would still “absolutely follow through” with his tariff promise on Canada.
Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca breaking digital assignment editor
12:55 p.m. EDT: Chow declares solidary among North American mayors
As the heads of Canada and the United States’ highest offices talk tariffs on the phone, a large group of municipal leaders from all over the continent gathered in Washington in a show of unity amid the trade war.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, speaking in front of the group, said its members “have deep friendship and culture and history together as a people in North America.”
“We are the level of government closest to the people,” she said. “When the people speak out, no one can ignore them.”
Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca breaking digital assignment editor
12:30 p.m. EDT: Canada confirms Trump call
The following statement was published to the prime minister’s website
“Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, spoke with the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. The Prime Minister and the President had a very constructive conversation about the relationship between our two countries.
“The leaders agreed to begin comprehensive negotiations about a new economic and security relationship immediately following the election. In the interim, the leaders agreed that conversations between the Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada, Dominic LeBlanc, and the United States Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, will intensify to address immediate concerns.
“The Prime Minister told the President that he would be working hard for the next month to earn the right to represent Canada in those discussions.
“The Prime Minister informed the President that his government will implement retaliatory tariffs to protect Canadian workers and our economy, following the announcement of additional U.S. trade actions on April 2, 2025.”
Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca breaking digital assignment editor
11:32 a.m. EDT: Trump changes his tone
The Truth Social post struck a different tone than his previous statements regarding Canada.
Trump, in a reversal after repeatedly calling former prime minister Justin Trudeau “governor,” referred to Carney as prime minister.
He also said he would meet Carney “immediately after Canada’s upcoming election,” on matters he said would be beneficial for “both” countries, straying from his repeated suggestions America ought to annex Canada, turning it into a state.
Carney has yet to respond publicly.
Canada’s embassy in Washington, D.C. had been working on setting up a call between the two leaders since Carney was sworn in.
Carney has previously said that he was available for a call, but “we’re going to talk on our terms. As a sovereign country – not as what he pretends we are.”
Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca breaking digital assignment editor, and Judy Trinh, CTV News national correspondent. Read the full story here.
11:19 a.m. EDT: Trump says Carney call was ‘extremely productive’
Trump says he just wrapped up a call with Carney, calling it “extremely productive.”
“We agree on many things, and will be meeting immediately after Canada’s upcoming Election to work on elements of Politics, Business, and all other factors, that will end up being great for both the United States of America and Canada,” Trump wrote.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca breaking digital assignment editor. Read the full story here.
10:40 a.m. EDT: Ford vows to ‘fight like we never fought before’
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is vowing to “fight like we never fought before” as he gets set to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney and other premiers to discuss the country’s response to the latest tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ford made the comment during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new hospital in Brampton on Friday morning. The event was held immediately prior to a virtual meeting that Carney is convening with Canada’s premiers to discuss the country’s response to a 25 per cent tariff that the United States plans to put on imported vehicles next week.
“I have a very important meeting with the prime minister and all the premiers and I am the chair of that group so I may have to zip out a bit early but I will tell you one thing. I know I am getting off topic but my message to Mr. Lutnick (the U.S. commerce secretary) the other night when he called is Canada is not for sale. We will never be a 51st state and we are going to fight like we never fought before,” Ford told those in attendance.
READ MORE: Ford vows to ‘fight like we never fought before’ ahead of meeting with Carney
Chris Fox, managing digital producer, CP24.com and CTVNewsToronto.ca
Charest calls Trump threats ‘disturbing’
Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest says Donald Trump’s references to Canada as the 51st state are “disturbing.”
“We all thought initially this was just a friendly jibe at Canada. Obviously it’s not. It’s disturbing,” Charest told CNN Host Wolf Blitzer in an interview Friday.
He said Trump’s comments now feel more like he’s saying “I object to the fact you exist.”Charest said he’s hopeful that some of the rhetoric will change with a new prime minister.“Hopefully with Mark Carney as the new prime minister, this will change,” he said.
Joshua Freeman, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
PM, Trump to speak this morning: Source
Prime Minister Mark Carney will speak with U.S. President Trump this morning, a White House source says.
On Thursday, Carney revealed the president had reached out, requesting the call.
During that announcement, the prime minister – taking a break from the election campaign – promised retaliation should the U.S. refuse to back down.
He also said those retaliations will not come right away.
Instead, the country will adopt a wait-and-see approach, as worldwide reciprocal tariffs are expected to arrive on April 2, which Trump has dubbed “Liberation Day.”
Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca breaking digital assignment editor
10:20 a.m. EDT: Toronto mayor denounces tariffs on CNN
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow appeared on CNN to denounce tariffs and inform Americans of her city’s boycott against American bids on municipal contracts.
“We’re the fourth largest city in North America, we have a $79 billion budget,” she said. “We are doing a huge buy Canadian, buy local campaign.”
She predicted Trump’s “attack on Canada,” the price of cars, construction and groceries will rise.
READ MORE: Canada-U.S. relations may never recover from Trump’s tariffs, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says
10:10 a.m. EDT: Singh back in Toronto, revisiting corporate landlord messaging
Good morning from downtown Toronto, I’m Rachel Aiello and I’m covering the NDP campaign. Today, Jagmeet Singh is making a housing announcement, but the contents of it are largely recycled -- including the human interest figure he has alongside him.
With the backdrop of a corporate-owned apartment complex, Singh is restating his commitment to “stop corporate landlords” alongside Erin Filby -- who is a Toronto renter he met with when he was last in the city two days ago -- and other tenants.
Filby lives with her son in an apartment bought by Brookfield Properties last year while Liberal Leader Mark Carney was still connected to the firm, though Singh has conceded he is not holding his opponent directly responsible for the entire business’s dealings.
On Friday, Singh committed the NDP would do three things to address billionaires buying up housing.
He said his party would: Ban corporations from buying existing affordable rental buildings; cut off corporate landlords from low-interest federal loans and other tax treatments; and boost the rental protection fund to help non-profits purchase affordable apartments when they come on the market.
After this morning’s announcement the only other event on the NDP’s campaign itinerary for the day is boarding the party’s rented-but-not-wrapped plane to fly back to Ottawa at 4 p.m. EDT.
Rachel Aiello, CTV News national correspondent
10:05 a.m. EDT: Poilievre would issue mandatory life sentences for serious crimes
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is unveiling his party’s platform to deal with crime, including mandatory life sentences for human trafficking, fentanyl trafficking, and mass gun smuggling.
“Specifically, anyone convicted of five or more counts of human trafficking -- life sentence. Anyone convicted of importing or exporting 10 or more illegal firearms -- lock them up and throw away the key,” Poilievre said in a post on X. “As I previously announced, anyone convicted of fentanyl trafficking on a large scale -- life sentences as well.”
He said he would also end automatic bail for anyone charged with human trafficking and strengthen human trafficking laws so that prosecutors wouldn’t have to prove that traffickers used fear or intimidation.
The Conservative leader took aim at the Liberals and NDP for “weak” laws that have allowed criminals to reoffend while out on bail.
Poilievre is expected to provide further details on his plan at a campaign stop in Nanaimo, B.C. later today.
Read the full story here.
Joshua Freeman, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
9:20 a.m. EDT: Trump’s trade war rumbles Maritimes
As tariffs dominate conversations in Maritime fishing communities, uncertainty spills from the wharves to boatyards.
“Everybody is kind of concerned about what the future could look like,” said Gilles Theriault, President of A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd.
His company, one of the largest privately owned shipyards in Atlantic Canada, builds commercial fishing boats, ferries and Coast Guard vessels in Meteghan River, N.S.—the heart of one of Canada’s largest and most lucrative lobster fishing areas.
Just like anything made up of hundreds of components, parts of a boat are sourced from all over. At Theriault’s shipyard, vessels are made of steel, aluminum and fiber composites. Engines come from the states.
Theriault knows tariffs will cause pain and said the company aims to think differently about boat building and boat repairs.
“We work a little harder and we get up earlier to try to figure out exactly what we need to do to, you know, keep our shipyard going, keep our people employed, and then make it work,” he said.
Sarah Plowman, CTV News national correspondent. Read the full story here.
8:30 a.m. EDT: Carney to speak with premiers
Prime Minister Mark Carney will be speaking with the premiers this morning at 11:30 a.m. EDT, CTV News has learned.
The meeting comes as the federal government and provinces respond to Trump’s latest tariff threats against Canada.
This week Trump said that the U.S. would impose a 25 per cent tariff on vehicles made outside of the U.S., starting on April 2.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said that vehicles made up of at least 50 per cent U.S. parts will not be subject to the tariffs. However, those in the auto industry say the move could still have a serious impact on the industry.
Joshua Freeman, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
Meanwhile, here’s a recap of what happened on the campaign trail on Day 5.
Leaders slam Trump
Carney spent most of the day meeting with his cabinet in Ottawa to discuss Trump’s latest actions. In a subsequent press conference, he said that the decades-old Canada-U.S. relationship is over and that he plans to speak with the U.S. president in the coming days.
Carney noted that his government is taking a wait-and-see approach before responding, as more tariffs are being announced next week. He later went back on the campaign trail, holding a rally in Montreal.
READ MORE: Carney set to speak with Trump, says old Canada-U.S. relationship ‘over’ amid ongoing tariffs
Poilievre urged the U.S. president to “knock it off” and “stop attacking America’s friends” during a campaign stop in Coquitlam, B.C. He warned that while Trump’s tariffs will damage Canada in the short term, a Conservative government would rebuild the country stronger and make it no longer reliant on the U.S.
The Conservative leader also promised to let Canadians make a $5,000 top-up to their Tax-Free Savings Account, but only if that money is invested in Canadian companies.
READ MORE: Poilievre hopes TFSA top-up will help fight Trump tariffs
Singh laid out the NDP’s plan to deal with the tariffs, which included barring manufacturing equipment from leaving the country, stronger EI, and a plan to make sure that federal departments and agencies purchase made-in-Canada vehicles.
READ MORE: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh promises tax break, buy-Canadian policy for auto sector
Bryann Aguilar, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist. With files from the CTVNews.ca election desk and The Canadian Press.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on trading partners are set to take effect on April 2, a day he has proclaimed as “Liberation Day” for American trade. CTV News will have extensive coverage across all platforms:
- CTVNews.ca will have in-depth coverage, real-time updates, and expert analysis on what the tariffs will mean for Canadians.
- CP24.com will report on any developments out of Queen’s Park and what the tariffs mean for the people of the GTHA.
- BNNBloomberg.ca will explain what this means for the business community, investors, and the market.
