Canada PM Carney to call for April 28 election on Sunday, Globe and Mail reports

(Reuters) -New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is poised to call a snap federal election on Sunday for April 28, the Globe and Mail reported on Thursday, citing sources.

Liberal Party sources had told Reuters Carney would call an election soon after he won the party race to replace Justin Trudeau on March 9, seeking a strong mandate during turbulent time as relations with the neighboring U.S. deteriorate.

A spokeswoman for Carney declined to comment.

Carney, asked by reporters in Edmonton about the report, sidestepped the question.

"What's clear is that in this time of crisis the government needs a strong and clear mandate," he said.

Although the next election was not due until October 20, Carney is hoping to capitalize on a remarkable recovery by his Liberal Party in polls since January, when U.S. President Donald Trump began threatening Canada with tariffs and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation.

Carney, a former two-time central banker with no previous political or election campaign experience, captured the Liberal leadership two weeks ago by persuading party members he was the best person to take on Trump.

Carney has yet to speak to Trump or lay out detailed plans on how he would deal with tariffs, which could badly hurt the Canadian economy. He has sought to lower the temperature, telling reporters that he respects what Trump is trying to do.

Carney will campaign against Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, a seasoned politician.

The Conservatives had enjoyed a wide lead in polls until Trudeau resigned in January after more than nine years in office, facing plummeting personal approval ratings.

(Reporting by Chris Thomas in Bengaluru and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Alex Richardson, Andrew Cawthorne and Deepa Babington)