A snap election defined by economic anxiety and annexation threats is now a two-man race about who can stand up to the president.

Mark Carney will go head-to-head with Pierre Poilievre and Canada’s other political leaders in a general election debate tonight. Mr Carney, who took over from Justin Trudeau as Canadian prime minister last month, is likely to win enough seats to remain in office and win a fourth term for the Liberals, polling predicts.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre aligned on support for new oil and gas pipelines as a matter of national security during the French language election debate Wednesday night.